Personal Injury Law

Georgia Investigation Into E. coli - Tainted Meat Continues - Lauren Hill Bannister To Be Released From Hospital

Posted on June 29, 2008
Delivrine Registre of Albany Georgia station WALB reports that an E. coli outbreak that has sickened at least one young woman in Albany may be responsible for the illnesses of a dozen others.  As she reports, the investigation into the source an E...

Raw Milk Cons: Review of the Peer-Reviewed Literature

Posted on June 28, 2008
A summary of the peer-reviewed literature relating to the “pros” of raw milk consumption was posted earlier this month. What about the “cons?” The overwhelming “con” of drinking raw milk according to the literature relates to food safety hazards...

Michigan and Ohio E. coli Illnesses Linked to Kroger Near 50 - Lawsuit on Tap for Monday in Ohio

Posted on June 28, 2008
According to Sarah Tompkins of the Detroit Free Press, the search for bad ground beef is now down to 2 Kroger suppliers. Wouldn't it be sweet justice if the source of this outbreak winds up being Nebraska Beef - recently famous for suing a church in upstate Minnesota...

Michigan and Ohio E. coli Cases Hit at Least 39

Posted on June 27, 2008
As of 4 pm on June 27, the Michigan Department of Community Health has confirmed 17 E. coli O157:H7 cases that are genetically linked and over half of those cases have either prepared or consumed hamburger meat from Kroger. 11 of these cases required hospitalization...

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Salmonella Saintpaul hits 810 in 36 States - Was it Really Tomatoes?

Posted on June 27, 2008
From a CDC/FDA Press Conference today: As salmonella cases continue to climb, the government is checking if tainted tomatoes really are to blame for the record outbreak - or if the problem is with another ingredient, or a warehouse that is contaminating newly harvested tomatoes...

As Many As 35 Ill for Kroger E. coli-tainted Hamburger in Ohio and Michigan - Supplier to be Named Soon - Why the Secrecy?

Posted on June 27, 2008
Once again, FSIS and a retailer drag their feet in naming the names of the suppliers. Although the numbers seem to shift a bit, according to the Michigan and Ohio Health Departments and media reports, it appears that at least 18 have been sickened with E...

Bar Association Annual Awards Dinner 2008

Posted on June 26, 2008
Well, just made it back from London and Louisiana for dinner.  Should be fun if I can remember what time zone I am in.  Congratulations to all the award winners: Outstanding Lawyer: William D. Marler, Marler Clark LLPOutstanding Judge: Hon. Charles J...

Who Supplied the E. coli Contaminated Meat to Kroger This Time?

Posted on June 26, 2008
Great to see that FSIS and Kroger recalled the meat.  The current Kroger ground beef recall is not the first experience Kroger has had with contaminated meat. Not only has Kroger been involved in E. coli outbreaks in the past, but in 2002, a resident of Gahanna, Ohio (where the first E...

Supplier of Salmonella Saintpaul Tomatoes to be Named Soon after Sickening 756 and Killing 1 in 34 States?

Posted on June 26, 2008
756 persons infected with Salmonella Saintpaul with the same genetic fingerprint have been identified in 34 states and the District of Columbia. These were identified because clinical laboratories in all states send Salmonella strains from ill persons to their State public health laboratory for characterization...

Kroger, Recall Your E. coli Contaminated Meat and Tell The Public Who Supplied It, Says William D. Marler, Food Safety Attorney

Posted on June 25, 2008
With the Michigan State Health Department linking Kroger ground beef to many of the illnesses in Michigan (which have also been linked to illnesses in Ohio), Kroger must recall all possibly contaminated ground beef said Seattle food safety attorney William D...

E. coli strikes in Michigan and in Ohio - Kroger Common Link? What Happened to New Jersey Meat Producer? Why no recall?

Posted on June 25, 2008
Recall, Recall, where is the recall? We know that dozens of people are sickened in Michigan in Ohio, but FSIS/USDA has not issued a recall?  I can not imagine why there would not be, perhaps they thought since we are focused on tomatoes no one would notice?  We have also been contacted by victims in other states who may be linked to a nationwide E...

Salmonella Saintpaul Tomatoes Sicken 613 in 33 States

Posted on June 24, 2008
However, as I said to the AP today: The tomato epidemic is not the first the country has seen, but is the largest since an outbreak in 2004 sickened 564 people, said William Marler, a Seattle attorney who specializes in food contamination cases. Marler has been involved in seven of the last 12 salmonella cases involving tomatoes in the last decade...

The Raw Milk Debate Continues

Posted on June 23, 2008
Andrew Schneider of the Seattle P-I wrote one of the “Fair and Balanced” stories in this mornings PI - Raw milk: Should the state ban it? Or drink it up? After E. coli outbreak and guilty plea, debate rages on. I did not add much except to but in a dose of reality to the farmers and the grocery stores who sell raw milk to kids...

Andy Warhol and I Have Something in Common?

Posted on June 21, 2008
We both have made too much money off of hamburgers.  In his case a "Double Hamburger" hanging at the Tate Modern Museum in London (I know, no cameras allowed). With E. coli O157:H7 sickening over 50 people in Ohio and Michigan in the last months tied to meat recalled in New Jersey, we are seeing in 2008 the "uptick" in E...

So, are Tomatoes and Hamburger Safer in London than in USA?

Posted on June 21, 2008
Although a few thousands of miles away, I could not help thinking about the salmonella Saintpaul outbreak that has sickened over 500 in the US linked to tomatoes grown in Florida and perhaps Mexico (although with one genetic pattern (PFGE) to this outbreak, I am not sure two places sourced the contaminated tomatoes) and an E...

Salmonella Tainted Tomatoes Home Grown Not Imported Has Sickened 552 people in 32 States

Posted on June 20, 2008
I can hear Lou Dobbs sobbing now, but the Cox News Service has confirmed that the salmonella-tainted tomatoes did NOT come from Mexico. They came from Florida. From the interview of Dr. David Acheson: The epidemiological investigation has narrowed the problem to raw red plum, red Roma or red round tomatoes...

Here we go again. 2008 is looking like 2007 if you are the Victim of E. coli-tainted Hamburger in Ohio and Michigan

Posted on June 20, 2008
As I blogged about last year - “E. coli’s comeback: What’s with that?” - In 2007 in some 21 recalls, ground beef companies have recalled more than 33 million pounds of E. coli O157:H7 contaminated meat. 2008 has also seen recalls and we are just into the E...

E. coli cases in Michigan Increase - Possibly Linked to Dutch Meat Hamburger Recall

Posted on June 19, 2008
The Michigan Department of Community Health reported 29 E. coli cases statewide so far in June, well above the average of 10 cases for the entire month the past four years.  Five people have been hospitalized. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has become involved in the investigation...

Dee Creek Owners Plead Guilty in E. coli Raw Milk Case

Posted on June 19, 2008
I am still in Wales, but press reports from the USA seem to creep across the “pond.”  Reading the Seattle Times online this morning it seems that Dee Creek finally got “nicked” as they say here for selling the “magical” milk...

383 Persons Now Infected by Salmonella Saintpaul Tomatoes in 30 states and the District of Columbia - Two Adobo Grill Restaurants in Chicago Linked to at Least Nice Illnesses

Posted on June 19, 2008
Now, according to the CDC, since April, 383 persons infected with Salmonella Saintpaul with the same genetic fingerprint have been identified in 30 states and the District of Columbia: Arkansas (2 persons), Arizona (26), California (8), Colorado (2), Connecticut (2), Florida (1), Georgia (8), Idaho (3), Illinois (34), Indiana (8), Kansas (9), Kentucky (1), Maryland (10), Michigan (3), Missouri (9), New Hampshire (1), New Mexico (70), New York (9), North Carolina (1), Ohio (3), Oklahoma (5), Oregon (4), Pennsylvania (2), Tennessee (4), Texas (131), Utah (2), Virginia (17), Vermont (1), Washington (1), Wisconsin (5), and the District of Columbia (1)...

Cardiff Castle - Marler Clark Europe?

Posted on June 19, 2008
Speech at the University of Cardiff went well.  Weather is like being home in Seattle.  I had time to visit a few castles today that date back well over 1,000 years.  I am thinking this one might well be a good base of operations for Marler Clark - especially if under siege from Corporations, Insurance Companies and their minions...

383 Persons Now Infected by Salmonella Saintpaul Tomatoes in 30 states and the District of Columbia - Two Adobo Grill Restaurants in Chicago Linked to at Least Nine Illnesses

Posted on June 19, 2008
Now, according to the CDC, since April, 383 persons infected with Salmonella Saintpaul with the same genetic fingerprint have been identified in 30 states and the District of Columbia: Arkansas (2 persons), Arizona (26), California (8), Colorado (2), Connecticut (2), Florida (1), Georgia (8), Idaho (3), Illinois (34), Indiana (8), Kansas (9), Kentucky (1), Maryland (10), Michigan (3), Missouri (9), New Hampshire (1), New Mexico (70), New York (9), North Carolina (1), Ohio (3), Oklahoma (5), Oregon (4), Pennsylvania (2), Tennessee (4), Texas (131), Utah (2), Virginia (17), Vermont (1), Washington (1), Wisconsin (5), and the District of Columbia (1)...

Ohio health officials: 11 cases of E. coli illness reported in Columbus, Franklin, Fairfield and Delaware Counties - Illnesses seem not related to Lettuce served in Thurston and Pierce Counties in Washington State at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU)

Posted on June 17, 2008
According to Ohio Health officials, Eleven cases of illness due to E. coli bacteria have been reported in central Ohio over the past two weeks.  Five of the reports are from Columbus, two from elsewhere in Franklin County, three from the east in Fairfield County, and one from the north in Delaware County...

CDC - Offical Salmonella Saintpaul Tomatoes Numbers Near 300

Posted on June 17, 2008
The CDC reports that since April, 277 persons infected with Salmonella Saintpaul with the same genetic fingerprint have been identified in 28 states and the District of Columbia: Arkansas (2 persons), Arizona (19), California (6), Colorado (1), Connecticut (2), Florida (1), Georgia (7), Idaho (3), Illinois (34), Indiana (7), Kansas (8), Kentucky (1), Maryland (1), Michigan (2), Missouri (4), New Mexico (68), New York (2), North Carolina (1), Ohio (3), Oklahoma (4), Oregon (3), Tennessee (4), Texas (68), Utah (2), Virginia (16), Vermont (1), Washington (1), Wisconsin (5), and the District of Columbia (1)...

Greetings from Stonehenge

Posted on June 17, 2008
I finished my lecture at the Royal Institute of Public Health in London where I received a John Snow tie, coffee mug and label pin (also inducted into the John Snow Society).  On the drive to Cardiff, Wales we stopped t see some rather interesting rocks:

CDC Estimates Salmonella Saint Paul-Tainted Tomatoes Have Sickened 8,778 - Yes, I am not making this up!

Posted on June 16, 2008
According to the CDC, for every one person who is a stool-culture positive victim of salmonella in the United States, there a multiple of 38.5 who are also sick, but remain uncounted.  (See, AC Voetsch, “FoodNet estimate of the burden of illness caused by nontyphoidal Salmonella infections in the United States,”Clinical Infectious Diseases 2004;38 (Suppl 3):S127-34)...

I found the Pub.... I mean Pump.

Posted on June 15, 2008
                  Pub                                  Pump

In Search of the Broad Street Pump

Posted on June 15, 2008
I am in London today (Sunday 5:00 AM - a bit jet-lagged) and am off to see if I can find the Broad Street Pump - famous because John Snow (a.k.a., father of Epidemiology) figured out that is was the water from the pump that was the vector in the 1854 Cholera outbreak...

Food Czar says - Salmonella SaintPaul Tomatoes Grown in One Place

Posted on June 13, 2008
In a press briefing today, David Acheson, M.D., the FDA's associate commissioner for foods (a.k.a., “Food Czar”), said that evidence available thus far suggests that a single geographic region (e.g., Mexico or Florida) is the source of salmonella SaintPaul that has contaminated tomatoes and resulted in 228 cases of salmonellosis in 23 states...

Salmonella Tomatoes in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin

Posted on June 13, 2008
Efoodalert blogger Phyllis Entis, blogged today that Kentucky has been added to the torrent of tainted-tomatoes. It is now 229 people infected with genetically matching strains of Salmonella Saintpaul have been identified in 24 states since mid-April...

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