During National Food Safety Education Month this September, let’s work together to raise awareness about the devastating impact of foodborne illness. Pritzker Hageman is a proud sponsor of the Stop Foodborne Illness Stop3000 campaign to honor the 3,000 lives lost to foodborne illness each year.
Foodborne pathogens can contaminate a variety of foods, causing food poisoning symptoms that range from gastrointestinal illness to severe, life-threatening complications. The Pritzker Hageman food safety legal team represents clients sickened by foodborne pathogens including:
- Botulism
- Campylobacter
- Cyclospora
- E. coli
- Hepatitis A
- Listeria Monocytogenes
- Norovirus
- Salmonella
- Shigella
- Vibrio
As food safety lawyers who have watched our clients fight life-threatening foodborne illnesses, we’ve seen firsthand how tragic and preventable these cases are. Our legal team has represented people sickened in virtually every major foodborne outbreak in the United States. We help our clients get the justice and compensation they deserve by holding careless food producers accountable for selling unsafe food.
Current Foodborne Outbreak and Recall Investigations
The Pritzker Hageman food safety legal team is actively investigating major foodborne illness recalls and outbreaks across the United States. By merging science and law, our legal team holds negligent food producers accountable to help our clients get the compensation and justice they deserve.
Listeria Outbreak Linked to Boar’s Head Deli Meat
A widespread Listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to Boar’s Head sliced deli meat has resulted in at least 57 illnesses and 9 fatalities across multiple states. USDA inspectors found multiple food safety violations at the company’s Virginia plant. In response to the outbreak, Boar’s Head issued a Listeria recall for over 7 million deli products, including liverwurst, bologna, ham, and salami sold at Target, Kroger, and other stores. Deli meats are a frequent source of Listeria contamination, making this the fifth major Listeria outbreak since 2018.
Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Milo’s Poultry Farms Eggs
At least 65 people have fallen ill in a Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak connected to eggs produced by Milo’s Poultry Farms. At least 21 people have been hospitalized in nine states. The company issued a Salmonella recall for whole cartons of eggs sold under the Tony’s Fresh Market and Milo’s Poultry Farms brands.
Salmonella Recall Linked to Eagle Produce Cantaloupe
Eagle Produce issued a Salmonella recall for Kandy brand whole cantaloupes sold at grocery stores in Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia. The recall was prompted by routine sample testing conducted by the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services. Cantaloupe has become a common source of Salmonella contamination, creating serious food safety concerns in recent years.
If you or a loved one gets food poisoning after eating contaminated food, here are 10 crucial steps to take:
- Seek medical treatment: If you think you have food poisoning, go to the doctor immediately. Symptoms of foodborne illness, including stomach pains, nausea, fever, and diarrhea, can lead to serious complications if left untreated.
- Request laboratory testing: Ask your healthcare provider to run tests to identify the specific pathogen causing your foodborne illness, such as E. coli, Listeria, or Salmonella. This information is crucial for treatment and potential legal action.
- Report your illness: By reporting your food poisoning case to your state health department, investigators will determine whether your illness is linked to a larger outbreak and take action to prevent others from becoming sick. This may involve completing a detailed questionnaire.
- Contact an experienced food safety attorney: A food safety lawyer with experience handling cases like yours will help you navigate the legal process and ensure your rights are protected.
- Start a detailed food diary: Write down everything you’ve eaten in the last week to help identify the source of contamination. Remember that the last thing you ate is most likely not what made you sick.
- Save any suspected food products: If you still have the food you believe caused your illness, seal it and store it in the refrigerator or freezer. Clearly label it to prevent others from consuming it. This item may be crucial for testing and could serve as important evidence in your case.
- Thoroughly clean food prep areas: Use hot, soapy water to clean and sanitize all food prep surfaces to prevent cross-contamination and protect others in your household.
- Save your receipts: Keep receipts from grocery stores and restaurant purchases from when you suspect your illness took place to help track food recalls and identify contaminated products. Make copies before sharing them with anyone. If you use a shopper or rewards card, this information can often be requested from a grocery store.
- Practice good hand hygiene: Regularly and thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water to prevent spreading your illness to others.
- Connect with your community: Ask friends, family, or coworkers if they’ve experienced similar symptoms to help determine the extent of the outbreak. Visit the Food Poisoning Bulletin to see if there are any food recalls or outbreaks related to your illness.
The Pritzker Hageman law firm and our attorneys have been recognized in:
U.S. News & World Report
Pritzker Hageman has been recognized as one of the best law firms for personal injury litigation by U.S. News & World Report every year the award has been given since 2012.
Super Lawyers®, Thomson Reuters
Attorneys at Pritzker Hageman have been awarded the peer selected Super Lawyers distinction every year since 2004.
America’s Top 100 Attorneys®
Lifetime Achievement selection to America’s Top 100 Attorneys®.
Three Time Attorneys of the Year
Pritzker Hageman lawyers have been named Attorneys Of The Year by Minnesota Lawyer three times.
We have obtained 100+ separate verdicts and settlements greater than $1 million:
Our client suffered substantial injuries after ingesting a defective product.
We obtained this settlement on behalf of a family whose children were sickened with E. coli.
We obtained a $12.15 million settlement on behalf of an 8-year old girl who was sickened in an E. coli outbreak.
We represented seven children who suffered intestinal injuries as a result of a defective food product.
We obtained this settlement on behalf of a 13-year old girl who was sickened with E. coli.
We won this verdict for a child with kidney damage from E. coli in contaminated food.
Our attorneys won this landmark verdict in a case against Foster Poultry Farms. Our client was a 5-year-old child who contracted Salmonella Heidelberg and, as a result, suffered brain damage.
We obtained a settlement from a company that sold contaminated food to our clients, causing the death of unborn children.
Our client suffered severe neurologic injuries as a result of Listeria monocytogenes, a food-borne pathogen.
See more settlements & verdicts.
Related Resources
- Food Poisoning Lawyer Eric Hageman Shares What You Need to Know About Food Safety
- Food Poisoning Lawyer Raymond Trueblood Shares What You Need to Know About Food Safety
- Food Poisoning Lawyer Alicia Penner Shares What You Need to Know About Food Safety
- Grocery Store Acquired Food Poisoning
- Restaurant Acquired Food Poisoning
- Food Poisoning Litigation
- Food Poisoning Bulletin
- Stop Foodborne Illness