HUS devastates little bodies.  My HUS clients all came close to death, suffered kidney failure and were hospitalized for weeks or months.  Parents lose income because they are at their extremely ill child’s bedside, and at the same time, the medical bills keep coming.  All of this, and they have to stand by helplessly hoping and praying their child survives.  It is tragic.

Now that there is solid, microbiological evidence that the Hartmann dairy farm is the source of the outbreak, the family of the HUS victim can seek compensation on behalf of their child and themselves for the medical expenses, loss of income, pain and suffering and other expenses and losses.  This is not a matter of being out to get anyone.  The financial strain on a family in their situation is so enormous that it puts a strain on relationships and may prevent their child from getting the best care both now and in the future.

The following is a press release from the Minnesota Department of Health:

Laboratory testing conducted by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) this week provided additional evidence that the Hartmann dairy farm, of rural Gibbon, was the source of a strain of E. coli O157:H7 bacteria that sickened at least five Minnesotans after they consumed raw, unpasteurized milk or other dairy products from the farm. MDH reported four cases of illness last week, and a fifth case has subsequently been confirmed in a young child who was not hospitalized.

MDH first discovered the outbreak through reports of E. coli O157:H7 illness from health care providers. The department conducted an investigation into the illnesses, which were scattered across the state, and found that the only thing the ill people had in common was consumption of dairy products from the Hartmann farm. This strong epidemiological link is now reinforced by the laboratory confirmation that the specific strain of E. coli O157:H7 found in the ill patients has also been found in multiple animals and at multiple sites on the Hartmann farm. This strain of E. coli has not previously been found in Minnesota. Furthermore, laboratory tests confirmed that cheese samples collected last week from the farm contained another form of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, demonstrating that an ongoing pathway of contamination existed on the farm.

The test results underscore the dangers of consuming milk that has not been pasteurized to eliminate E. coli and other potentially deadly bacteria. Leading public health organizations such as the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Medical Association, the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics all advocate pasteurization as a standard public health practice.

“Raw milk presents a serious health risk,” said Minnesota Health Commissioner Dr. Sanne Magnan. “This risk isn’t a matter of personal opinion; it’s an established scientific fact. Drinking raw milk or eating products made from raw milk can expose consumers to a variety of organisms that can result in anything from a few days of diarrhea to kidney failure and death. Raw milk is especially dangerous for children, whose immune systems can’t fight off infection as well as healthy adults.”

In addition to the cases linked to the Hartmann farm, MDH is investigating several other illnesses with a connection to products from the farm. MDA has embargoed dairy products on the Hartmann farm, prohibiting movement or release of the products off the farm.

It is illegal to sell raw milk in Minnesota, although occasional sales are allowed on the farm where the milk is produced. For details, visit the MDA website at http://www.mda.state.mn.us/en/food/safety/rawmilkinfo.aspx. Additional information, including a newly developed Frequently Asked Questions document is available on the MDH website at http://www.health.state.mn.us/foodsafety/foods/rawmilk.html.

Today, the Minnesota Department of Health announced that state health officials have linked three cases of E. coli O157:H7 illness with raw milk from Hartmann Dairy Farm in Gibbon, Minnesota (also known as M.O.M.’s). One of the people sickened has developed E. coli HUS.

If you have any of this milk, you should not consume it.  If someone has consumed some of the milk, you should not discard the milk until you are sure that the person who consumed the raw milk has not contracted an E. coli infection.  If you or someone you loved has been diagnosed with E. coli, contact our law firm.

The Hartmann Dairy raw milk may be labeled organic and consumers may be unaware that the milk has not been pasteurized. In addition, consumers should not eat cheese, ice cream or other dairy products from Hartmann Dairy Farm, which also may have been made from raw, unpasteurized milk, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

Minnesota health officials have linked three cases of E. coli O157:H7 poisoning with raw milk from Hartmann Dairy Farm in Gibbon, Minnesota:

The Minnesota Department of Health urges anyone who may have recently purchased milk from the Hartmann Dairy Farm, also known as M.O.M.’s, to discard the product and not consume it. The milk may be labeled organic and consumers may be unaware that the milk has not been pasteurized. In addition, consumers should not eat cheese, ice cream or other dairy products from the farm, which also may have been made from raw, unpasteurized milk.

The Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture are continuing to investigate a cluster of four E. coli O157:H7 illnesses that all have the same “pulsed field gel electrophoresis” (PFGE) patterns, or DNA fingerprint. Three of the four cases report a link to milk from Hartmann Farm; the fourth case is under investigation. Three of the four people were hospitalized as a result of their illness; one case has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

Minnesota law prohibits most raw milk sales, except for occasional purchases directly at the farm where the milk is produced.

Raw milk is a dangerous product that should not be sold to the public. Virtually every health department, federal, state and local, recommends against its use. It is particularly dangerous for young children, people with compromised immune systems and the elderly.

According to the Missouri Department of Health and Human Services, the  Class Act Sports Complex E. coli outbreak began at the end of April.

Officials with the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center tested water from a drinking fountain and a faucet within the facility and confirmed the presence of E. coli in both samples. The sports complex, which is served by a private well, shut off its water at the urging of local health officials.

The state health agency said testing confirmed five E. coli infections. Nine other illnesses in people who drank water are considered probable cases of E. coli.

The Department of Health and Senior Services said it is working with local health officials to determine the source of the contamination. The agency did not say what type of E. coli was found.

People who have become ill after drinking water at the Class Act Sports Complex are asked to contact local health officials. For answers to legal questions about the outbreak, victims may call food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete our online contact form.

Pritzker Olsen is one of the few law firms in the country practicing extensively in the area of foodborne illness litigation. Over the years, we have collected millions for victims and we are involved in practically every major outbreak of food poisoning.

In the areas of the outbreak – Columbus, Ann Arbor and Buffalo – health investigators are presenting a questionnaire to victims of the E. coli O145 outbreak to determine where they ate and what they ate. The same questions will be asked of a control group of individuals who ate at the same places and didn’t get sick.

Though time-consuming, the epidemiological study can show patterns that implicate an individual food source as the probable cause of an outbreak. While most E. coli outbreaks are caused by contaminated ground beef, officials have told law firm Pritzker Olsen that ground beef is not high on the list of suspect foods in the current outbreak.

Since the outbreak began in early April, the number of ill people considered to be victims of the outbreak has grown to 60.

E. coli O145 is similar to the more prevalent E. coli O157:H7  in that it is an enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) and a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC).  It is the Shiga toxins that can cause death or severe illness, including hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS.) E. coli O145 is part of a group of E. coli serotypes called non-O157 STEC.

It is not too early to contact an E. coli lawyer. For a free consultation call Pritzker Olsen at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or contact us online.  Even if the food source is not found, epidemiological evidence combined with the microbiological evidence that links all of the cases of E. coli O145 together can be enough to hold a restaurant, food service company and others liable.

Below E. coli lawyer Fred Pritzker (1-888-377-8900 toll free) discusses the E. coli O145 outbreak in Michigan and Ohio (and now New York).

E. coli O145 is similar to the more prevalent E. coli O157:H7 in that it is an enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) and a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC).  It is the Shiga toxins that can cause serious injury or death.  E. coli O145 is part of a group of E. coli serotypes called non-O157 STEC.

Ohio public health officials are collaborating with the CDC and Michigan and New York health officials to identify the source of this outbreak of E. coli O145.  Given the widespread nature of the outbreak, the source is food.  According to a source, ground beef is not high on the list of suspected foods.  News reports have indicated that a Mexican restaurant and campus food service facilities may be involved in the outbreak.

It is not too early to contact an E. coli lawyer for a free consultation.  Even if the food source is not found, epidemiological evidence combined with the microbiological evidence that links all of the cases of E. coli O145 together can be enough to hold a restaurant, food service company and others liable.

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Our national food safety law firm was the first to warn the public of this possibility with announcements made more than a week ago on this web site about an E. coli outbreak caused by blade-tenderized steaks.

The outbreak was confirmed December 24th when the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced a recall of 124 tons of NSP steak products that were packed in October and “shipped to restaurants nationwide.”

But the recall notice issued by FSIS on Christmas Eve is essentially useless since it fails to identify the restaurants at which the adulterated steak was served. Without that crucial information, the millions of consumers who eat steak at U.S. restaurants are left with no practical information about whether they were exposed to a potentially deadly bacteria.

To any person of reasonable intelligence, this decision smacks of favoritism. Our government appears to be protecting the “good name” of national restaurant chains at the expense of vulnerable people who patronize these for-profit institutions.  Therefore, our law firm calls upon FSIS and the CDC  to immediately release the names of all the restaurants at which these recalled steaks were served.

Restaurants are liable for E. coli infections caused by the food they serve. In this case, the restaurants associated with the illnesses are liable along with the steak processor for the harm suffered by those sickened. We are aware of at least one nationally advertised restaurant chain involved in this outbreak, but it is not known which locations received the recalled steaks.

Studies have shown that mechanical tenderization of steak with blades or needles drives surface E. coli into the center of the meat, where it can survive the grilling process — especially if the steak is served rare or medium rare. This danger prompted the USDA years ago to ban the sale of so-called non-intact steaks if tests show they are contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. But testing is never 100 percent reliable and restaurants don’t warn customers that the medium-rare steak they just ordered was blade-tenderized or injected with brine or other flavoring to improve texture and taste.

If you have information about this outbreak or a loved one has been sickened after eating steak at a restaurant, contact Pritzker Olsen Attorneys at 1-888-377-8900 or by completing the contact form on the side of this web page. An E. coli attorney will provide you with a free case consultation and answer any questions you might have about your legal rights.

This outbreak was preventable and Pritzker Olsen actively supports prevention efforts related to all types of foodborne illness. Our frustration with the non-release of restaurant names associated with this outbreak is shared by the larger food safety community.

The boy’s illness has been affirmatively linked to the Fairbank Farms outbreak, which resulted in the recall of more than half a million pounds of ground beef products — mostly in the Northeast — because of potential E. coli O157:H7 contamination.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC) 26 persons in eight states, including four in Maine, have fallen victim to the outbreak. Nineteen were hospitalized and 5 developed HUS E. coli, or hemolytic uremic syndrome, the leading cause of kidney failure in children in the United States.

According to a November 13, 2009 story in The New York Times, Fairbank Farms succumbed to pressure from its beef suppliers and inexplicably stopped testing all of its ground beef ingredients. According to the company, those procedures are now being re-evaluated. Unfortunately, that move comes too late for our client, as well as for the two people who have died in this outbreak and the people who have been sickened.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York has introduced legislation that puts the price on mandatory testing of ground beef ingredients at one penny per pound. Testing won’t eradicate E. coli O157:H7 from ground beef in the U.S., but our law firm is actively supporting this move and the more sweeping food safety reform bill already passed by the House, because they could prevent outbreaks like this one and could help advance food safety as a more vital protocol in the meat industry.

The needless suffering of the people sickened in this outbreak only serves to underscore the need for more stringent testing and all it would cost is a penny per pound.

To contact Pritzker Olsen law firm, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free), email Attorney Fred Pritzker or submit our online form for a free consultation. We are accepting additional cases from the current outbreak and are involved in practically every major outbreak of foodborne illness in the United States as a representative for victims. Pritzker Olsen is one of the few law firms in the country practicing extensively in the area of food poisoning litigation and we have collected millions of dollars over the years for E. coli victims.

The Price Chopper ground beef you purchased may have been part of a recall of 545,699 pounds of Fairbank Farms ground beef products due to possible contamination with E. coli O157:H7.  The recalled Fairbank Farms ground beef was sold to Price Chopper grocery stores in  Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York and Vermont.

Raw ground beef products contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 are adulterated under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), which means that you and your child may have the right to sue Fairbank Farms and possibly Price Chopper for medical expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering, emotional distress and other damages.

You and your child did not lose the right to sue for damages because you prepared the ground beef before serving it to your child.  The Price Chopper ground beef you purchased and prepared should not have been contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

It is important for you and your child that you replace any guilt with a healthy dose of anger and seek justice.

To contact our law firm for a free consultation about a Fairbank Farms lawsuit and a Price Chopper E. coli lawsuit, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free), email Attorney Fred Pritzker or submit our online consultation form.  We want to hear from you, and we have the experience to help.

We are not paid unless you win.

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The multi-state outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 has been associated with fresh ground beef produced in mid-September by Ashville, N.Y.-based Fairbank Farms. The company has recalled more than half a million pounds of the product, which was sold in supermarket  meat cases in at least eight states. Any product still out there is probably in consumers’ freezers and health officials are urging people to check their stocks.

Any ground beef with USDA establishment number EST 492 inside the mark of inspection should be checked against the recall list. In general, recalled items were marked with sell-by dates ranging from September 19-28.

Monday, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services confirmed three cases of E. coli O157:H7, one of which resulted in death. These cases are linked to the Fairbank E. coli recall, said New Hampshire DHHS Communications Director Kris Neilsen.

In Maine, officials confirmed that two cases of E. coli O157:H7 matched the genetic fingerprint of the outbreak strain of E. coli.

USA Today reporter Elizabeth Weise talked to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official who said 28  illnesses associated with Fairbank Farms ground beef E. coli have been confirmed, including 16 who were hospitalized. The person who died in New York had underlying health concerns. Illnesses in Massachusetts and Connecticut have also been linked to the recalled beef.

USA Today’s report said 18 of the 28 illnesses have been in New England states. Two of those who were hospitalized developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS.

Also on Monday, the Massachusetts Department of Health and Human Services said the New England E. coli outbreak associated with Fairbank Farms ground beef is unrelated to the Lincoln Middle School hamburger E. coli outbreak less than one week prior. In that hamburger E. coli outbreak, more than 20 students and chaperones from Rhode Island were sickened by contaminated and undercooked ground beef made by a meatpacker in Brockton, Massachusetts, doing business as South Shore Meats Inc. The school group had been on a trip to Camp Bournedale, a nature camp in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

In the United States, E. coli O157:H7 is banned from raw ground beef and people who are sickened by it have special rights under the law. To receive a free case consultation from an experienced E. coli attorney, contact national food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen Attorneys. Complete our online contact and information form or call us at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free).

Rhode Island attorney David Szerlag is a member of our law firm, which is involved in practically every major outbreak of food poisoning. Over the years we have collected tens of millions of dollars for victims of E. coli and other foodborne illnesses.