Kroger E. Coli Food Poisoning: Legal Recourse
One of the largest recent E. coli outbreaks occurred in 2008 when ground beef products sold at Kroger's grocery stores nationwide sickened more than 40 people. More than a dozen of the E. coli victims developed serious complications requiring hospitalization. After learning about the E. coli outbreak, Kroger Company recalled 34 million pounds of beef products sold in 20 states. Several victims have filed lawsuits alleging that the Kroger Company acted negligently in providing them with dangerous food products that caused serious personal injuries. If found liable, the Kroger Company might be compelled to provide victims with substantial compensation.
Kroger's E. coli Outbreak
The Cincinnati-based Kroger Company is the largest traditional grocery chain in the United States. In addition to Kroger's stores, the company operates Ralphs, Food 4 Less, QFC and Smith's Dillons supermarkets. In June 2008, the company issued a recall of 5 million pounds of beef sold at stores in Michigan and Ohio after several customers reported E. coli food poisoning symptoms after eating Kroger's ground beef products. The recall was later expanded to include all ground beef products sold at the Kroger stores nationwide. This was the fifth large-scale food recall the Kroger Company has issued since 2000. In most of the previous recalls, the culprit of the food-borne disease outbreaks was also the E. coli bacteria.
E. coli Food Poisoning: Kroger Lawsuits
Most of the people who became sick after consuming E. coli-infected beef sold at Kroger stores experienced a range of distressing symptoms, including violent diarrhea, abdominal cramps, vomiting, nausea and fever. Some of the E. coli victims developed complications, such as severe dehydration and hemolytic uremic syndrome, and required hospitalization. Hemolytic uremic syndrome is an especially dangerous condition that can cause acute renal failure and death.
In order to obtain compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, physical pain and emotional distress, many of the victims have filed personal injury lawsuits against the Kroger Company based on legal concepts such as negligence and product liability. The injured consumers allege that the Kroger Company acted negligently in failing to provide them with reasonably safe products. As a result, they contracted the dangerous E. coli bacteria, which made them sick for at least a week, causing them to incur medical expenses, lose income and experience physical and emotional distress. If the Kroger lawsuits are not settled, the cases will likely end up in court.
Food-Borne E. coli Infection: Legal Help
If you suspect you are a victim of a food-borne E. coli infection, you may be entitled to compensation for financial, physical and psychological damages. Contact the law offices of Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz at (888) 255-2956 to thoroughly discuss your case and initiate prompt legal action. The lawyers of Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz also have extensive experience negotiating and litigating food poisoning cases arising from botulism, listeriosis, salmonella and shigella outbreaks.
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Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz
803 North Palafox St.
Pensacola, Florida 32501
55 Baybridge Dr.
Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561
