Legal Services

Marler Clark has extensive experience representing victims of foodborne illness. In 1993, William Marler represented HUS survivor Brianne Kiner in her $15.6 million E. coli settlement with Jack in the Box. Since that time, Marler Clark has represented thousands of individuals, mostly children, in litigation resulting from consumption of contaminated food and water, as well as exposures to contaminated swimming pools, petting zoos, and other recreational environments.

Marler Clark has brought claims on behalf of victims of Shigella outbreaks traced to contaminated foods, day care centers, and other sources. The firm has litigated foodborne illness cases against the meat producers, fresh produce firms, restaurants, supermarkets, and other entities responsible for outbreaks. Below is a list of Shigella outbreak-cases Marler Clark has been involved in. The links will take you to the Marler Clark Web site, where you can read more about the outbreaks and about Marler Clark.

Filiberto's Shigella Outbreak - California

On September 1, 2006, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (SDHHS) and the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health announced that they were working together to investigate an apparent Shigella outbreak among customers who had eaten at the University Avenue Filiberto's. The restaurant was closed on August 31, and according to a news release issued by SDHHS , at least ten people had become ill with apparent Shigella infections after eating at Filiberto's in late August, three of whom were hospitalized.

Gate Gourmet Shigella Litigation - Multi-State Outbreak

The Hawaii Department of Health investigated a Shigella outbreak that effected as many as several hundred passengers on twelve flights that departed from Honolulu airport August 22 through August 24, 2004.

Passengers traveling to Australia, Japan, and American Samoa as well as 22 US states were confirmed by laboratory testing as having a genetically identical strain of Shigella. All passengers had traveled on flights with meals catered by Gate Gourmet's Honolulu location.

Marler Clark represents over a dozen people in litigation against Gate Gourmet.

Royal Fork Shigella Litigation - Washington

A Shigella outbreak was traced to the Royal Fork restaurant in Mount Vernon, Washington, in January of 2001. Nine cases were confirmed and two people displayed the symptoms, but did not go to the doctor for a checkup to confirm their cases.

The outbreak was traced back to a female food service worker at the restaurant, who failed to properly wash her hands after using the bathroom.

Senor Felix Shigella Litigation - Western States

An outbreak of shigellosis in Washington and six other Western states stemming from a contaminated Mexican-style dip developed into a major epidemic of food-borne illness in 2000.

More than 335 people in Washington, California, Oregon, Idaho, New Mexico, Arizona and Alaska had confirmed or suspected cases of the bacterial illness, characterized by severe diarrhea, nausea, fever and stomach cramps. At least 122 laboratory-confirmed cases were reported in Washington, including 76 in King County. As many as 32 other cases statewide were suspected.

Marler Clark represented several plaintiffs in litigation against Senor Felix.

Viva Mexico Shigella Litigation - Multistate

The Redwood City, California, Viva Mexico Mexican restaurant paid $55,000 in fines and agreed to make sure that employees washed their hands as part of an agreement struck with the San Mateo County district attorney after a Shigella outbreak linked to the restaurant sickened hundreds.

At least 250 patrons got sick, and one died in October, 2000, after suffering from Shigellosis.

Marler Clark represented a number of clients in litigation against Viva Mexico.

To learn more about Marler Clark and our efforts on behalf of victims of foodborne illness, visit http://www.marlerclark.com/foodlitigation.htm.