Foodborne
illnesses, more commonly known as "food
poisoning" are often serious illnesses caused
by the consumption of food which has been improperly
handled, prepared or stored. While most cases result
in several days of extreme illness, a staggering 325,000
people are hospitalized each year in the U.S. due to
foodborne illnesses. Even more shocking is the fact
that an estimated 5,000 Americans die each year from
foodborne illnesses.
Foodborne illnesses are almost always a direct result
of improper handling by the manufacturer, distributors,
restaurants and grocery stores. Contamination can come
about in handling, preparation or storage and is typically
caused by pathogenic bacteria, viruses, prions or parasites.
While the FDA issues hundreds of warnings each year,
food manufacturers and distributors can be slow to
react to reports suggesting their foods are contaminated.
The fact is manufacturers and handlers of food and
food-related products have a legal responsibility to
maintain a high level of product safety for their consumers.
Negligent companies have been tried in court,
with such notable cases as:
• $15.6 Million awarded in case against Foodmaker,
Inc. parent company of Jack in the Box in E. coli
case. (a total of $100 Million was designated for
the outbreak)
• $12 Million awarded to the families of children
who were injured after consuming Odwalla apple juice
• $4.75 Million verdict for E. coli case involving
a school lunch program in Washington State
The list of foodborne illness cases that have landed
in court is staggering – a list of products and
restaurants that you are almost certainly well familiar
with.
Symptoms of foodborne illness typically appear within
hours or days after ingestion of contaminated foods.
The most common symptoms of foodborne illness include:
• Nausea
• Abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Gastroenteritis
• Fever
• Headache
• Fatigue
If you or someone you care for has had a serious foodborne
illness, please fill out our Case Review Contact Form to the right on this
page to find out what your case is worth.
To find out more about other cases we handle, select another
case type on your left.
Jury Returns $24 Million Verdict Against TXI in Wrongful Death Suit
3/23/07 - Press Release
The widow of a man killed in an explosion at a TXI facility in Midlothian, Texas was awarded $24 million by a Dallas jury today, culminating a 3-week-long trial. (read
more...)
Jury Finds TXI Guilty in Blast Death
3/23/07 - The Dallas Morning News
The widow of a Waxahachie man killed in an explosion at a Texas Industries Inc. plant in Midlothian was awarded $24 million by a Dallas jury Friday. (read
more...)
Hospitals and the Landlord Defense
4/14/03 - Texas Lawyer
In these times of doctors maintaining little or no medical-malpractice insurance, lawyers representing injured plaintiffs are seeking additional grounds on which to hold hospitals responsible for medical negligence occurring at their facilities. (read
more...)
Family sues American Airlines over crash that killed woman, son
10/8/02 - AP
A man whose wife and adopted son died in the crash of American Airlines Flight 587 sued the airline Thursday, alleging it was negligent in inspections. (read
more...)