The hundreds of Salmonella victims sickened by Foster Farms chicken should not be left to bear the financial responsibility of the outbreak. The company allegedly produced chicken contaminated with antibiotic-strains of Salmonella Heidelberg. People who were sickened after eating this chicken have to pay medical bills incurred because of their illness.
There may be good evidence linking the Salmonella Heidelberg infections to Foster Farms chicken. The epidemiologic evidence is persuasive.
When health officials interviewed 132 people sickened in the outbreak, 105 of them (80%) reported eating chicken prepared at home in the week before becoming ill, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of the 61 people in this group that had brand information, 48 (79%) reported that they had eaten Foster Farms brand chicken or another brand likely produced by Foster Farms, the CDC report confirmed.
This outbreak is far more serious than many because several of the seven strains of Salmonella Heidelberg making people sick are antibiotic resistant. More than 40% of those sickened in this outbreak have been hospitalized. That number is twice the typical percentage of hospitalizations in the average Salmonella outbreak.
Victims with valid claims against the company could seek compensation for hospital bills and other medical expenses, lost wages and other income, physical pain and other lawful damages.
This outbreak has sickened people in Alaska (2), Arkansas (1), Arizona (11), California (213), Colorado (4), Connecticut (1), Florida (1), Hawaii (1), Idaho (2), Michigan (2), North Carolina (1), Nevada (8), Oregon (8), Texas (5), Utah (2), Washington (15) and Wisconsin (1).
