Salmonella is a major public health concern in the U.S. Each year, more than 1 million people get sick with Salmonella food poisoning. On average, 26,500 of those people will be hospitalized and at least 420 will die. And there has been little progress made to reduce the number of illnesses over the past decade. People are still getting seriously sick and even dying from eating Salmonella contaminated food.
One of the most common food sources of Salmonella is chicken. However, the USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) does not consider Salmonella to be a “per se adulterant” in meat. This means the chicken you buy at the grocery store can contain Salmonella bacteria with the USDA stamp of approval.
Justice for a Family Whose Son Suffered Brain Damage from Eating Salmonella Contaminated Chicken
In one recent case, our Salmonella lawyers filed a lawsuit on behalf of a family whose five-year-old son suffered a massive brain abscess caused by a Salmonella infection that he contracted from eating Foster Farms chicken. At the time of our client’s illness, Foster Farms was linked to a nationwide Salmonella outbreak that sickened 649 people. Our legal team’s investigation found evidence that Foster Farms’ entire operation was infested with dangerous strains of Salmonella, including the specific strain that sickened our client.
After we took this case to trial, the jury found that Foster Farms was negligent in producing Salmonella contaminated chicken that caused our client’s illness. This groundbreaking case set an important precedent for food safety by protecting consumers who place their trust in chicken producers to sell safe food. Even though the USDA does not consider Salmonella to be a “per se adulterant” in raw chicken, this case established that chicken producers can be held responsible for selling Salmonella contaminated chicken.
Our client’s story was featured in People Magazine, where his mother said, “it’s not about the money. It’s about accountability and making sure that [our son] can have his best chance.”
Current Salmonella Outbreak Investigations
Our Salmonella lawyers have represented people sickened in every major Salmonella outbreak in the U.S. Currently, our legal team is investigating several Salmonella outbreaks:
Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Dried Wood Ear Mushrooms
A Salmonella outbreak linked to dried wood ear mushrooms. The case count to-date includes 41 people sickened in 10 states, four of whom have been hospitalized. Several illnesses have been linked to ramen soup and other foods served at restaurants.
Colorado Salmonella Outbreak
Seventeen people have been sickened in a Salmonella outbreak in northeastern Colorado. Eleven illnesses were reported from Logan County. Health officials are still investigating a single, common source for the illnesses that were reported from August 1st to September 17th.
Salmonella Outbreak Linked to La Aldea Grocery Store in West Lafayette
A cluster of Salmonella infections has been linked to La Aldea grocery store in West Lafayette, IN. The Tippecanoe County Health Department is asking customers who developed symptoms of a Salmonella infection after shopping at the store on Klondike Road to contact them at 765-423-0222 Ext. 1.
Red Onion Salmonella Outbreak
The Salmonella outbreak linked to Thomson International onions has sickened more than 1,000 people in the U.s. and Canada. Some of the illnesses were linked to prepared food such as salsas, dips, salads, sandwiches, and stir fry sold at grocery stores or restaurants.
Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Fresh Peaches
The Salmonella outbreak linked to Wawona fresh peaches has sickened 78 people in 12 states, 23 of whom have been hospitalized. Grocery stores that sold the recalled peaches include ALDI, Target, Costco, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Wegmans, Hannaford, Food Lion, Stop&Shop, Price Chopper, Russ Davis Wholesale, Kroger, Jay-C, King Soopers, City Market, Fry’s, Ralphs, Food 4 Less, Foods Co., and Smiths.