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Food Poisoning Lawyer Shares Expert Opinions

By PritzkerLaw

Top executives from U.S. produce companies gathered at separate conventions this summer in Monterey, California, and Austin, Texas, to hear PritzkerOlsen principal Elliot Olsen tell them how an outbreak of foodborne illness can put a company out of business in 24 hours.

Elliot was invited to these premier food safety symposiums in July and August by the Produce Marketing Association, which hosted the events. Normally our firm finds itself in opposition to growers and handlers of fresh produce when contaminated lettuce, spinach, tomatoes or some other vegetable are linked to an outbreak ofE. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella.

But Elliot's central message to the industry at these symposiums had an unexpected twist.

While the PritzkerOlsen law firm has a well-earned reputation from coast to coast for battling companies and collecting millions of dollars for victims of food poisoning, the firm's overarching mission is to help make the U.S. food supply safer -- a goal that PritzkerOlsen holds in common with most food producers.

"It's not just a game to us,'' he said. "Part of our mission is prevention.''

Elliot told attendees of the symposiums that companies learn valuable food safety lessons when victims of food poisoning assert their right to compensation for injuries, lost wages, pain and suffering. Without the discipline that lawsuits can bring, no set of regulations from government could bring meaningful reform on their own.

A major portion of Elliot's presentation focused on the human cost of food poisoning. Take, for instance, a past client of PritzkerOlsen described to symposium attendees as Mr. Lewis (not his real name). Mr. Lewis was a very active and healthy 81-year-old man when he contracted Listeriosis from contaminated food. The infection damaged his central nervous system and left him paralyzed. His hospitalization was followed by 400 days in a nursing home, ending in his death. By then, he was hardly recognizable.

Olsen said the crowds in Monterey and Austin -- which included many CEOs and other top-ranking produce company executives -- were very receptive. "Hopefully we'll continue our efforts to eliminate foodborne illness,'' he said.

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on September 23, 2009 (boomark / email).