Personal Injury Law

The Quad-Cities - Hepatitis A Ground Zero - McDonalds Linked to 26 Illnesses and 5,366 Injections

Posted on July 31, 2009
According to the Quad-City Times, the total of hepatitis A cases in the Quad-City region has grown by one, and the latest patient lives in Henry County. The Rock Island County Health Department has finished a series of free inoculation clinics to provide protection against the illness...

At 159 Pages, H.R. 2749 - The Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 is quite the read

Posted on July 30, 2009
Here is the bill that (I think) is to be voted on in about an hour: Click above to download.

Congressman John D. Dingell - Superman of Food Safety

Posted on July 30, 2009
Congressman John D. Dingell gave an impassioned speech today on behalf of HR 2749 - The food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009.  I think it should be renamed the Dingell Bell, errr, Bill.  Anyway, the guy is a stud. The vote on the Bill should happen soon...

The Cost of Foodborne Illness

Posted on July 30, 2009
The Food Safety Bill is being debated on Capitol Hill as I write this post.  Hopefully the human cost of foodborne illness will weigh on our Representatives' minds as they vote. Lindsey Jennings (below, center) was a healthy 21-year-old starting medical school in the fall of 2008...

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E. coli O157:H7 Settlement reached in Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Case Linked to Hamburger

Posted on July 30, 2009
A confidential settlement was reached this morning on behalf of twelve-year-old Rebecca Gosla, who was sickened in a 2007 E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to contaminated ground beef that were manufactured by United Foods. Rebecca's illness stands apart from most E...

Salmonella Lawsuit Filed On Behalf of Memphis Father and Son Hospitalized by Tainted Barbeque

Posted on July 30, 2009
A lawsuit stemming from the recent outbreak of Salmonella illnesses was filed today in the Circuit Court for Shelby County, Tennessee against A&R Bar-be-que, LLC. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a Memphis father and son by Seattle foodborne illness law firm Marler Clark and by John Day of the Tennessee firm Day & Blair...

HR 2749 - The Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 - Goes Down in Defeat

Posted on July 29, 2009
 Congress, I have not much to say about this, except:

The Time is now for Food Safety Legislation

Posted on July 29, 2009
In 2002, in the middle of the recall of 21,000,000 pounds of E. coli O157:H7-tainted ConAgra beef that sickened 50 Americans and killed one grandmother, I wrote an Op-Ed saying that it was time to 'put me out of business.' People generally hate trial lawyers like me, and I said that the best way to get rid of me would be to stop poisoning people with contaminated food...

President Obama Supports HR 2749 - The Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009

Posted on July 29, 2009
Here is the Obama Administration's position: The Administration strongly supports House passage of H.R. 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. The legislation includes many of the recommendations of the President's Food Safety Working Group and focuses on key Administration goals by prioritizing prevention, strengthening surveillance and enforcement, and improving response and recovery...

With 25 Ill and over 10,000 exposed of Hepatitis A Milan McDonalds, Rock Island Health Department extends clinic dates

Posted on July 25, 2009
The incubation period (time from exposure to onset of symptoms) is 15-50 days, with an average of 30 days. Thus far at least 25 people have contracted Hepatitis A and over 10,000 or more were exposed. 5,000 have received IG or Hepatitis A vaccines to hopefully prevent illness onset...

King Soopers of Denver Colorado Recalls Ground Beef Products Due To Salmonella Contamination - 14 Ill - US Public is the "Canary in the Coal Mine"

Posted on July 23, 2009
Once again contaminated food products are shipped to US grocery stores and consumers become ill.  The US pubic continues to be the "canary in the coal mine."  As FSIS reports: As a result of an ongoing investigation into an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 associated with ground beef products, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) notified FSIS of the problem...

McDonald's Patron Infected with Hepatitis A Files Lawsuit - Teen Sickened after Eating at Milan, Illinois McDonald's

Posted on July 23, 2009
The first lawsuit on behalf of a customer sickened in the Milan McDonald's outbreak was filed today in the Circuit Court of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit of Rock Island County. The lawsuit was filed against McDonald's Inc., and Kevin Murphy, the owner of the McDonald's restaurant at 400 West First Street in Milan, IL, by Marler Clark, the Seattle-based foodborne illness law firm, and the Illinois firm of Foote, Meyers, Mielke & Flowers LLC...

Tanimura & Antle Voluntarily Recalls One Lot of Romaine Lettuce Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk

Posted on July 22, 2009
From a Company Press Release: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 21, 2009 Tanimura & Antle, Inc. of Salinas, Calif. is voluntarily recalling one lot of romaine lettuce because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. No illnesses have been reported to date, and the company is working with FDA to inform consumers of this recall...

Why I love the internet

Posted on July 22, 2009
I am so glad Al Gore (or whomever) invented the internet.  I can not tell you how many emails I get from former employees or whistle-blowers.  Here is one I received a few days ago: 'Mr. Marler:  I was an employee at the ________________ plant and was told that they had a power outage and uncooked product sat out too long, this was after I got fired...

McDonald's Job Applicant Poisoned with Hepatitis A

Posted on July 22, 2009
My daughter is 17 and took a partime job busing tables as a local restaurant.  Can you imagine being a parent and urging your kid to get a Summer job at McDonald's?  Here is an email I received tonight: My son Dillon is 16 and had to be hospitalized because he caught Hepatitis A after he took back an application for a job and ate at McDonald's in Illinois...

Cheryl Schram, Milan McDonald's Hepatitis A Employee, Speaks Out and Names Names

Posted on July 22, 2009
A fast food worker at the Milan Illinois McDonald's tested positive for Hepatitis A back in mid-June, more than three weeks before the case was reported to county and state health officials. Cheryl Schram is going public tonight about who she says she told and when...

23 Hepatitis A Victims Linked to Milan McDonalds - 21 in Illinois and 2 in Iowa - 4,000 Given IG Shots

Posted on July 22, 2009
According to the Quad-City Times, the number of people who have contracted Hepatitis A in the Quad-City region has grown to 23 confirmed cases – 2 of who are in Iowa. The 21Illinois Hepatitis A cases are in Rock Island, Henry, Mercer and Warren counties, as well as one in Woodford County The cases are connected with Rock Island County businesses, including a McDonald's restaurant, 400 W...

Marler Clark Files Class Action Hepatitis Lawsuit Against McDonald's

Posted on July 21, 2009
Ten Thousand People May Have Been Exposed to Hepatitis A at Milan Restaurant A class action lawsuit was filed today in the Circuit Court of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit of Rock Island County against McDonald's Inc., and Kevin Murphy, the owner of the McDonald's restaurant at 400 West First Street in Milan, Illinois...

Hepatitis A Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against McDonald's

Posted on July 21, 2009
Case No. 09 L 0089 – Judge Vandewiele  

At least 10,000 should receive IG shots to prevent Hepatitis A from Milan McDonalds - At least 20 confirmed ill thus far

Posted on July 20, 2009
Thousands of people are lining up in southern Illinois to receive Immunoglobulin (IG or Immune Globulin or Gamma Globulin) shots. IG is pooled/plasma-containing antibodies against a number of diseases like measles, rubella, varicella, and Hepatitis A...

Hepatitis A Ground Zero - McDonalds in Rock Island County Illinois

Posted on July 20, 2009
The number of ill has risen to 20 and more can be expected.  Questions are still being raised as to when McDonalds and Rock Island County Department of Health knew when McDonalds had its first Hepatitis A ill employee.  I have been flooded with emails from local residents worried about their kids...

Salmonella Testing of Product Works - Sweet Superior Fruit LTD Recalls Cilantro (Coriander) Because Of Possible Health Risk

Posted on July 19, 2009
Sweet Superior Fruit LTD. Co. of McAllen, Texas, is recalling 104 crates of fresh cilantro (coriander) because the product has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems...

So, what did McDonald's and the Rock Island Health Department know (about Hepatitis A ill workers) and when did they know it?

Posted on July 18, 2009
Media reports, press releases and comments from the Rock Island County Health Department, Illinois Department of Health and the McDonald's in Milan at 400 W. 1st St. on U.S. 67 franchise owner are a bit light, but we know that at least 19 patrons of the restaurant are ill with Hepatitis A - 11 have been hospitalized...

If it was not for Thomas Geyer of Quad-City Times and an unnamed reporter at KWQC, the customers of a Milan, Illinois McDonalds might never know where they got Hepatitis A

Posted on July 18, 2009
Thank goodness for what is left of a free press. If not for the Quad-City Times and KWQC, the folks of Rock Island County would not know the following: From KWQC - Hepatitis A Outbreak Latest Rock Island County now has 14 with Hepatitis A. That brings the total number to 20 cases, with 11 people being hospitalized...

McDonald's Hepatitis A Problem - How Many Times Does Lightening Need to Strike Before You Wake the Hell Up?

Posted on July 17, 2009
I was 'struck' how easy it is to spend a few moments on Google to see what a problem McDonalds seems to have with Hepatitis A infected employees. I really do not get it? Why risk it? The Hepatitis A vaccine is a 2 dose series with the 2 doses given at least 6 months apart for lasting protection against infection by the Hepatitis A virus...

Second E. coli O157:H7 Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Lawsuit Filed Against JBS Swift

Posted on July 16, 2009

19 Hepatitis A cases linked to a Milan, Illinois McDonalds - 13 are in Rock Island County, and 6 more are being reported in Henry, Mercer, Warren and Woodford Counties

Posted on July 16, 2009
As of Thursday afternoon, there are 19 confirmed Hepatitis A cases. 13 are in Rock Island County, and six more are being reported in Henry, Mercer, Warren and Woodford Counties. John David at WQAD has reported: that 'Lunch customers coming to the Milan McDonalds on Thursday found the doors locked...

ACI Foodborne Illness Litigation Conference - Chicago

Posted on July 16, 2009
This is the third time that I have helped with the conference.  Click below to download brochure Marler Blog readers are entitled to a $500 discount off of the standard price (for a price of $1695) when they reference discount code 'Marler' As an immediate byproduct of the outbreaks there has been a wave of new litigation, some of which has even resulted in possible criminal indictments for some in the food manufacturing industry...

JBS Swift E. coli Meat Sickens at least 23 in California, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York and Wisconsin - When will other states be reporting - like Washington?

Posted on July 15, 2009
Nearly two weeks ago, the CDC and FSIS reported that 23 persons infected with a strain of E. coli O157:H7 with a particular "DNA fingerprint" have been reported from 9 states. Of these, 17 have been confirmed by an advanced DNA test as having the outbreak strain; confirmatory tests are pending on others...

Dave Theno had it right - Secretaries Vilsack and Sebelius should pay attention

Posted on July 15, 2009
Lauren Beth Rudolph died on December 28, 1992 in her mother's arms due to complications of an E. coli O157:H7 infection - Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. She was only 6 years, 10 months, and 10 days old when she died. Her death, the deaths of three other children, and the sicknesses of 600 others, were eventually linked to E...

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