Washington: Royal Fork Shigella Litigation

Marler Clark sued a Mount Vernon restaurant over a food-borne intestinal infection outbreak that sickened at least nine people in January. The civil suit against the Royal Fork was filed last week in Skagit County Superior Court on behalf of Sandra and Lester Hemmingson of Mount Vernon. Sandra Hemmingson was hospitalized for three days and has still not recovered fully from the Shigella outbreak.

Shigellosis is caused by the Shigella bacteria, and is more commonly known as dysentery. Typical symptoms include abdominal pain, stomach cramps, fever, vomiting, bloody diarrhea and rectal spasms. 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.

Multistate Outbreak: Viva Mexico Shigella Litigation

Marler Clark filed suit on behalf of Suzie and Hector Lapuyade in San Mateo County Superior Court against Viva Mexico. Lab tests confirmed that Suzie Lapuyade, 40, and her 9-year-old son, Maurice, contracted shigellosis, a gastrointestinal disease that spreads through bacteria-tainted food. County health officials closed Viva Mexico as more than 250 diners became sick during the last 10 days of October. Lab tests confirm at least 45 cases of shigellosis, but the Lapuyades are the first to file suit.

Multistate Outbreak: Senor Felix Shigella Litigation

An outbreak of shigellosis in Washington and six other Western states stemming from a contaminated Mexican-style dip has developed into a major epidemic of food-borne illness. More than 335 people in Washington, California, Oregon, Idaho, New Mexico, Arizona and Alaska have had confirmed or suspected cases of the bacterial illness, characterized by severe diarrhea, nausea, fever and stomach cramps.

The outbreak is linked to several products of Senor Felix Gourmet Mexican Foods of Baldwin Park, Calif. A class-action lawsuit was filed by Marler Clark alleging negligence by the dip company.