A Salmonella lawsuit filed against the Las Vegas restaurant, Firefly Tapas Kitchen and Bar, is calling into question the establishment's past food safety discipline in an attempt to achieve justice for the people who suffered serious illnesses in an outbreak that received nationwide attention back in April and May. According to a legal complaint on file in Nevada's Clark County District Court, the restaurant's food safety inspection score was so overloaded with demerits at the time of the outbreak that the facility was shut down to minimize ongoing risk to public health. It has since reopened. At Pritzker Olsen Attorneys, the case has been assigned to the firm's Bad Bug Law Team, which has been working on pre-settlement issues surrounding insurance and the lawsuit's allegations of … [Read more...]
What To Do if You Get Food Poisoning From a Restaurant
If you start experiencing the symptoms of food poisoning, what should you do? First of all, the food you just finished eating most likely did not make you sick, which is contrary to what most people believe. Most pathogens, whether bacteria, viruses, or parasites, have an incubation period of at least 12 to 24 hours. Listeria, for instance, can incubate for 70 days before you start experiencing any symptoms. The first step is to go to the doctor. She will run tests, such as a stool sample, and should be able to pinpoint what has made you sick, and can prescribe antibiotics or other medication to make you feel better. If you got sick from restaurant food, there are most likely others who are sick as well. The exact pathogen must be identified. Before an outbreak is declared, the … [Read more...]
Federico’s Restaurant E. coli Outbreak in Litchfield Park, Arizona
Federico's Mexican Restaurant in Litchfield Park, Arizona, is at the center of an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 that has sickened at least 11 to 15 people who ate there or purchased food from the establishment. The Maricopa County Departments of Public Health and Environmental Services in collaboration with the Arizona Department of Health Services are investigating and said in a news release that the outbreak appears to be linked to the Federico’s Mexican Restaurant located at 13132 W Camelback in Litchfield Park, about 20 miles west of downtown Phoenix. At least seven people have been hospitalized in the West Valley food poisoning outbreak. Several of the victims know each other. "So far, at least 11 of the 15 individuals with bloody diarrhea that MCDPH has been able to interview have … [Read more...]
Georgia’s BBQ Shack HUS E. coli Outbreak Revisited
Three months of investigation into one of this summer's most serious HUS E. coli outbreaks has not pinpointed what food item sent people to the hospital after eating at the BBQ Shack restaurant in Toccoa, Georgia. But other evidence in the outbreak is supporting victims as they continue to make payment claims for their distress. According to a document from the Georgia Department of Health, officials learned of the outbreak after a state epidemiology surveillance officers noticed a cluster of E. coli cases in lab reports from the Stephens County Hospital - four patients in one week back in early May. The Stephens County Health Department had also received complaints about the BBQ Shack in Toccoa after some customers reported being ill after eating at the restaurant. Public health … [Read more...]
Los Burritos Mexicanos E. coli HUS Outbreak Revisited in Illinois
An outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 that sickened a number of Los Burritos Mexicanos patrons in Lombard, Illinois, is still under investigation by local and state health officials who have permitted the restaurant to reopen. A Los Burritos staff worker said Sunday the restaurant has reopened for normal business at its location on 1015 E. Saint Charles Road in Lombard, a western suburb of Chicago. Los Burritos was closed by health officials in mid-June after a cluster of patrons reported gastro-intestinal illness. The first report came on May 24. By June 17, public health technicians confirmed through laboratory testing that the wave of illness was due to food contamination from the pathogen E. coli O157:H7, a sometimes virulent bug that can cause life-threatening cases of hemolytic uremic … [Read more...]
Los Burritos in Lombard, IL Associated with E. coli Outbreak
An outbreak of E. coli O157 has been associated with eating at Los Burritos Mexicanos, located at 1015 E. Saint Charles Road in Lombard, IL, according to the DuPage County Health Department. Los Burritos has been closed pending further results of the investigation. As of the morning of June 17, four people have laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7 (STEC O157:H7). Two of the four were hospitalized. The specific food responsible for the illnesses has not been determined. Restaurants can be sued for for E. coli food poisoning when the food source of the outbreak is not found, according to attorney Fred Pritzker, a national E. coli lawyer. "In some restaurant outbreak cases, it’s not possible to identify the precise food product responsible … [Read more...]
Holiday Inn Linked to Salmonella Food Poisoning Outbreak, Investigation of Fayetteville, NC, Hotel Restaurants Continues
The Cumberland County Department of Public Health,the N.C.Division of Public Health, and lawyers are continuing their investigation of the Salmonella outbreak linked to restaurants at the Holiday Inn Fayetteville-Bordeaux. There are 18 individuals with signs and symptoms of a Salmonella infection, including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Four of them are hospitalized. Salmonella can cause serious complications, including reactive arthritis, colitis, meningitis (Salmonella in the brain), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and sepsis. Salmonella infections are sometimes fatal. The investigation is focused on food served at the Holiday Inn Fayetteville-Bordeaux from May 1 to May 8, 2013. The hotel has two restaurants, the All American Sports Bar and Grill and The Café Bordeaux, and a … [Read more...]
T.A. Restaurant in Fall River, Massachusetts Closed After Salmonella Outbreak
According to the Herald News, T.A. Restaurant in Fall River has closed after an apparent Salmonella outbreak. At least one person has been sickened, and officials expect more cases will be identified. An investigation by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Food Protection Program is ongoing. The owners are cooperating with state and city government officials and hope to reopen the restaurant soon. Public health officials inspected the restaurant last Friday. Complaints about the restaurant were received last week. The Portuguese restaurant must disinfect the restaurant and the kitchen, replace some equipment, and throw out old food. Staff members must take lab culture tests and receive two negative tests before they are allowed to return to work. Salmonella infections … [Read more...]
Casper Golden Corral Possible Food Poisoning Source in Wyoming Outbreak
The Casper-Natrona County Health Department is investigating at least 50 reports of food poisoning. There is no word on the source, even as some news outlets are suggesting a local restaurant may be involved. The Wyoming Billings-Gazette is reporting the Golden Corral restaurant in east Casper may be associated with the outbreak. Public health officials are asking anyone who has experienced the symptoms of food poisoning, which include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and headaches, to call the Health Department at 307-235-9340. The illness is lasting from 24 to 48 hours. While the restaurant may be implicated, some of those who have become ill have not had any contact with that facility. The restaurant was inspected on Wednesday, December 12, 2012, but there is no word on any findings. … [Read more...]
