Several hepatitis A lawsuits have been filed against Costco Wholesale Corporation, a Washington company, and Townsend Farms, Inc., an Oregon company. These suits seek compensation for victims of an outbreak of hepatitis A infections linked to Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berries sold at Costco stores. To date, 47 people have been hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "We are seeking compensation for our clients who were diagnosed with hepatitis A after eating Townsend Farms berries," said Fred Pritzker, an attorney representing people from several states. "Hepatitis A is a dangerous pathogen, and these contaminated berries should never have reached the market where they could sicken over 100 people." This outbreak started … [Read more...]
Costco-Townsend Farms Hepatitis A Lawsuit Update: Lawyer Pursues Victim Compensation
Townsend Farms-Costco Hepatitis A Outbreak Updated Again by CDC
The Centers for Disease Control (in what has become an almost daily occurrence) has updated its investigation into the multistate outbreak of Hepatitis A "potentially associated" with Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix sold at Costco. Now 99 people in 8 states are sick; 44 people have been hospitalized. The case count maps and epidemiological curves the CDC is providing are out of date; we are showing them to indicate the possible trajectory of the outbreak. The case patients live in Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Washington state. Since 51% of ill people have been hospitalized, this is a serious infection. All of those infected purchased the product from Costco. It's also sold at Harris Teeter stores under … [Read more...]
Hepititis A Lawyers File Lawsuit against Costco and Townsend Farms
Attorney Fred Pritzker of Pritzker Hageman law firm is the lead lawyer in a lawsuit filed against Townsend Farms and Costco Wholesale Corporation on behalf of an Arizona man (Plaintiff). He allegedly contracted hepatitis A from Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend mixed berries with pomegranate seeds. The suit was filed in the United District Court for the District of Arizona (Case 2:13-cv-01181-ROS). The Pritzker Hageman law firm is also representing hepatitis A victims in other states who are part of the multistate hepatitis A outbreak associated with Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend sold at Costco. To date, the CDC has confirmed outbreak cases in Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Washington. "This morning the CDC updated its outbreak … [Read more...]
Costco-Townsend Farms Hepatitis A Outbreak Grows, Lawsuits Filed
The Costco-Townsend Farms hepatitis A outbreak continues to grow. There are now 87 CDC-confirmed cases of acute hepatitis A infections that may be linked to eating Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry mix sold at Costco stores. The CDC numbers include people sickened in eight states: Arizona, California Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Washington. To date, lawsuits have been filed in Arizona and California. The CDC has epidemiological information on 68 of the outbreak victims. These people answered questions about their illness and the food they ate in the weeks leading up to their illness. What the CDC found was that of these 68, 45 (66%) are women, the ages of those sickened are from 2 – 84 years, and 46 (70%) reported eating “Townsend Farms Organic … [Read more...]
Costco Hepatitis A Lawsuit Update
The first Costo Hepatitis A lawsuit was filed on behalf of a 51-year-old Lakewood, California, resident. Her lawyers filed the suit against both Townsend Farms and Costco. According to the lawsuit, She purchased the Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant Blend berries from Costco and ate them before she got sick. She first experienced Hepatitis A symptoms on May 22, 2013, when she began to experience fatigue, chills, achiness and loss of appetite. The tell-tale sign of Hepatitis A, dark urine and yellowing eyes and skin, appeared over the next few days, according to the lawsuit. By the time she saw her doctor, she had severe liver inflammation and was hospitalized, where she was diagnosed with Hepatitis A. The Hepatitis A lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of California, Los … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms Hepatitis A Outbreak Updated by CDC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated the Hepatitis A outbreak associated with Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix. The case count now stands at 61, with 11 people hospitalized. The product has been recalled. It was sold at Costco stores and at Harris Teeter stores under the Harris Teeter name. The patient age range is from 2 to 71 years. The illness onset dates range from 4/29/13 to 5/27/13. Twenty-two of the thirty persons interviewed so far ate the Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend before becoming ill. Twenty-two people purchased this product from Costco markets. No cases have been identified yet that bought the product at Harris Teeter stores. Hepatitis A is divided into seven different genotypes; 80% of the … [Read more...]
CDC Updates Hepatitis A Outbreak Associated with Townsend Farms Berries
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated the Hepatitis A outbreak associated with Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxdant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix. Now 49 people are sick with acute Hepatitis A in seven states. And eleven people have been hospitalized. The numbers are most likely going to change every day. The ill persons are in Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Hawaii, and California. Twenty-six people have been interviewed. Sixty-percent, or 15 patients, are women. The patient age range is from 2 to 71 years. Illness onset dates range from 4/29/13 to 5/24/13. Nineteen people, or 76%, reported eating "Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant Blend" frozen berry and pomegranate mix before becoming ill. Nineteen people bought this product at Costco … [Read more...]
Hawaii Added to States in Costco Townsend Farms Berries Hepatitis A Outbreak
Hawaii is now added to the list of states in the Costco Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend Frozen Berry mix hepatitis A outbreak. Other states affected include Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico. Thirty-two people are now sick in this outbreak. Because the product was sold at Costco, and that grocery store chain has outlets in all 50 states, it's likely that more states will be included in this outbreak. Public health officials are investigating to see if this specific product was sold through other retail outlets or venues. State health departments, the FDA, and CDC are investigating. Costco has been selling this product since late February 2013. The product is no longer on store shelves. Because the product in question is frozen, consumers most likely … [Read more...]
Costco’s Townsend Farms Frozen Berries Hepatitis A: What You Can Do
The FDA has advice on what consumers can do about the hepatitis A outbreak associated with Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant Blend frozen berries sold at Costco stores. At least 30 people have been sickened in five states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico. This outbreak may spread; the number cited is only the first in this investigation. Through interviews with ill patients, the CDC found that 11 of the 17 people interviewed so far ate the product, which has not been recalled. Costco has issued a "safety notice" about the problem with this product. The FDA has started an inspection of the Townsend Farms Oregon processing facilities. And public health officials are developing a protocol to test berries for the hepatitis A virus. The CDC says if you … [Read more...]
