A 53-year-old woman from Lakewood, Colorado, has filed a buffalo E. coli lawsuit against the Rocky Mountain Natural Meats after eating contaminated bison and developing an E. coli O157:H7 infection that caused her to be hospitalized. She is represented by law firm Pritzker Olsen. The same firm  represents a man from Baltimore, Maryland, who is one of seven people identified by health officials as being infected by the same strain of E. coli. Five are in Colorado and one is in New York.

Attorney Fred Pritzker, founder and president of the law firm, said that in the past and currently, bison meat has not been subject to the same E. coli O157:H7 testing requirements as ground beef. Many people assume that bison meat is safer than beef, but that reputation needs to be re-examined. Interestingly, the bison industry recognized this concern over two years ago.

The National Bison Association has noted:

Under our current status… bison are not required to undergo testing for E. coli O157:H7. Most of the commercial-scale USDA bison processors do conduct their own testing on a voluntary basis, and many of those systems exceed the standards required by USDA. However, the designation as a non-amenable species also allows producers to sell meat to the general public without undergoing some of the standard antimicrobial testing required by other commodities.

The statement from the bison trade group went on to say that any product recall based upon test results identifying the presence of E. coli O157:H7 would have a negative impact for the overall bison industry. However, the impact of an incident in which a consumer became ill from consuming meat that did not have to undergo testing for E. coli O157H7 could be even more devastating.

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is not the basis for instilling consumer confidence in the integrity of our industry,” the statement said.

In response to the outbreak linked to Rocky Mountain Natural Meats, the bison association is telling its members to emphasize that the only products subject to recall were produced by the Colorado company. All recalled packages are marked with USDA establishment number “EST. 20247”.

• 16-ounce packages of “GREAT RANGE BRAND ALL NATURAL GROUND BISON.” These products have a “sell or freeze by” date of June 21, June 22 or June 24, 2010.
• 16-ounce packages of “NATURE’S RANCHER GROUND BUFFALO.” These products have a “sell or freeze by” date of June 22, 2010.
• 16-ounce packages of “THE BUFFALO GUYS ALL NATURAL GROUND BUFFALO 90% LEAN.” These products have a lot number of 0147.
• 12-ounce packages of “GREAT RANGE BRAND ALL NATURAL BISON STEAK MEDALLIONS.” These products have a “sell or freeze by” date of June 23 and 24, 2010
• 12-ounce packages of “GREAT RANGE BRAND ALL NATURAL BISON SIRLOIN STEAKS.” These products have a “sell or freeze by” date of June 20, June 23 and 24, 2010
• 15-pound boxes of “ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATURAL MEATS, INC. BISON 10 OZ SIRLOIN STEAK.” These products went to restaurants and bear a Julian Code of 0141.

Pritzker Olsen already represents a woman from Lakewood, Colorado, in a Rocky Mountain Natural Meats E. coli lawsuit filed this week in Golden, Colorado. In that case, a woman was hospitalized for several days after eating E. coli-tainted buffalo purchased at a King Soopers grocery store in Lakewood.

In the Baltimore case, the 28-year-old man was called several days ago by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene with information that he was infected with the same strain of E. coli O157:H7 that  sickened the Lakewood victim, a cluster of others in Colorado and one person in New York.

Our Maryland client ate ground buffalo and fell ill on June 14. When his illness progressed to bloody diarrhea, he saw a physician in Lutherville, Maryland, where a stool culture was ordered.

Great Range Ground Bison and Nature’s Rancher Ground Buffalo are two of the brands USDA has associated with this outbreak. They are included in the Rocky Mountain Natural Meats recall, issued July 2 for 66,000 pounds of ground buffalo and other bison products.

Pritzker Olsen is in the midst of its own investigation of the Colorado buffalo E. coli outbreak and continues to accept cases from this outbreak. To contact an E. coli attorney at the firm, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the online contact form on the side of this Web page.

Our consultations with you are free and you will owe us nothing until we win your case for you.

Thirteen children and one adult have been diagnosed with E. coli infections according to Fox 31 KDVR-TV. County officials told the station that no one has been hospitalized. The child care facility has remained open and the source of the outbreak remains a mystery.

Little Sailors Child Development in Northglenn is one of 600 child care centers regulated in the tri-county area of Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties.

If you or your child has been sickened in this outbreak, contact an E. coli lawyer at Pritzker Olsen law firm at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the form on the side of this Web page. Our firm is a leading practitioner of foodborne illness outbreak litigation and we are involved in practically every major outbreak.

Symptoms of E.coli include abdominal cramping followed by diarrhea that progressively worsens and is often bloody. In 5 to 15 percent of cases, patients develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe infection that often results in kidney failure and can lead to strokes, anemia, paralysis, brain damage and heart problems.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children under 5 are the most prone of any age group to develop HUS.

The recall revision adds various weight boxes of Rocky Mountain Natural Meats  “BISON B TRIM” to the pre-existing recall notice for 66,000 pounds of ground buffalo and buffalo steaks and medallions. The B Trim boxes bear a production date of May 21, 2010 and a Julian Code of 14110. The boxes also state “KEEP REFRIGERATED.”

The new notice from USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) doesn’t contain new information about the ground buffalo E. coli outbreak previously announced last Friday. So far there have been five people in Colorado and one in New York sickened by the same strain of E. coli O157:H7, a potentially deadly bacterium that is banned in ground beef.

FSIS associated the Colorado outbreak with ground buffalo recalled by Rocky Mountain Natural Meats of Henderson, Colo. The individual brands are Great Range Ground Bison, Nature’s Rancher Ground Buffalo and The Buffalo Guys Ground Buffalo 90 Percent Lean. They are sold nationwide at grocery stores and in some restaurants via distributors in Arizona and Utah.

Because consumers often freeze retail meat purchases, officials fear there is a potential for the outbreak to grow indefinitely. Freezing temps don’t kill the pathogen. If you have eaten buffalo meat and fallen ill with painful diarrhea, including bloody diarrhea, contact your physician immediately and request a stool culture.

Law firm Pritzker Olsen represents a Lakewood, Colorado, woman, who is a victim of this outbreak and the firm is accepting additional cases. Attorney Fred Pritzker has begun his own independent investigation and is available to discuss legal aspects with individuals and families affected by this Colorado bison E. coli outbreak.

To contact Fred, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the online contact form on the side of this Web page.

See the originial recall information by clicking here.

Nature’s Rancher Ground Buffalo, Great Range Ground Bison and The Buffalo Guys Ground Buffalo have been officially associated with the outbreak by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) in conjunction with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health departments in Colorado and New York.

The investigation is continuing, but so far five people in Colorado and one person in New York have been infected by the same genetic strain of E. coli O157:H7. The maker of the ground buffalo, Rocky Mountain Natural Meats, has recalled 66,000 pounds of buffalo products, including some steaks and medallions.

The initial FSIS listing of retail outlets  doesn’t indicate  individual stores involved in the distribution of ground buffalo and other buffalo products recalled during the 4th of July weekend by Rocky Mountain Natural Meats. It merely lists the following chains as distributors: Hannaford’s, King Soopers, Market Basket, Price Chopper’s and Whole Foods.

If you or a loved one has become ill after eating ground buffalo involved in this E. coli recall, contact your physician immediately. For answers to legal questions and for free case consultations, contact law firm Pritzker Olsen at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete our online contact form.

Our firm is conducting its own investigation into this Colorado buffalo E. coli outbreak. Over the years we have collected millions for victims of E. coli and other types of food poisoning while also working actively to help prevent foodborne illness.

• Great Range Ground Bison
• Nature’s Rancher Ground Buffalo
• The Buffalo Guys Ground Buffalo

In this outbreak, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has determined that there is an association between potentially contaminated ground bison products recalled by Rocky Mountain Natural Meats and a cluster of five E. coli illnesses in the state of Colorado.

Specifically, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has published the following Class I High Health Risk recall:

• 16-ounce packages of “GREAT RANGE BRAND ALL NATURAL GROUND BISON.” These products have a “sell or freeze by” date of June 21, June 22 or June 24, 2010.
• 16-ounce packages of “NATURE’S RANCHER GROUND BUFFALO.” These products have a “sell or freeze by” date of June 22, 2010.
• 16-ounce packages of “THE BUFFALO GUYS ALL NATURAL GROUND BUFFALO 90% LEAN.” These products have a lot number of 0147.

FSIS became aware of the danger while investigating a cluster of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses in Colorado with illness onset dates between June 4, 2010 and June 9, 2010. One additional case of E. coli in New York shares the same genetic fingerprint as the Colorado cases.

Rocky Mountain Natural Meats is based in Henderson, Colorado. The company’s 66,000-pound recall includes bison medallions and buffalo sirloin steak. The buffalo products were distributed around the country in grocery stores and to restaurants via foodservice distributors in Arizona and Utah.

If you or a family member has been sickened in this ground bison E. coli outbreak, contact law firm Pritzker Olsen for a free consultation about compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and other harms. Our firm has a national reputation as a premier practitioner of E. coli litigation and other foodborne illness lawsuits. Over the years we have collected millions for victims of food poisoning.

To contact an E. coli lawyer, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete the online form on the side of this Web page.

Brands include Great Range and Nature’s Rancher. The bison was distributed to grocery stores nationwide and the restaurants via foodservice distributors in Utah and Arizona.

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a Class I Recall with high health risk for 66,000 pounds of ground and tenderized steak bison products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

The same DNA fingerprint has been found in five case patients from Colorado and one from New York. The illnesses are now associated with Rocky Mountain Natural Meats bison under recall. The investigation is continuing with participation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Law firm Pritzker Olsen is conducting its own investigation into this outbreak for a possible Rocky Mountain Natural Meats lawsuit. If you have information or legal questions, contact E. coli lawyer Fred Pritzker at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or contact him online with the form on the side of this Web page.

Pritzker Olsen is a leading practitioner of foodborne illness litigation and has years of direct experience representing victims of E. coli O157:H7. We are involved in practically every major outbreak of foodborne illness.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness. In serious cases, E. coli can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).

The following products are subject to recall:

• 16-ounce packages of “GREAT RANGE BRAND ALL NATURAL GROUND BISON.” These products have a “sell or freeze by” date of June 21, June 22 or June 24, 2010.
• 16-ounce packages of “NATURE’S RANCHER GROUND BUFFALO.” These products have a “sell or freeze by” date of June 22, 2010.
• 16-ounce packages of “THE BUFFALO GUYS ALL NATURAL GROUND BUFFALO 90% LEAN.” These products have a lot number of 0147.
• 12-ounce packages of “GREAT RANGE BRAND ALL NATURAL BISON STEAK MEDALLIONS.” These products have a “sell or freeze by” date of June 23 and June 24, 2010
• 12-ounce packages of “GREAT RANGE BRAND ALL NATURAL BISON SIRLOIN STEAKS.” These products have a “sell or freeze by” date of June 20, June 23 and June 24, 2010
• 15-pound boxes of “ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATURAL MEATS, INC. BISON 10 OZ SIRLOIN STEAK.” These products went to restaurants and bear a Julian Code of 0141.

The temporary shutdown of the Ellensburg daycare facilities due to E. coli O157:H7 illnesses began June 30 in an attempt to halt the spread of illness.  According to the Kittitas County Public Health Department, about 120 children attend the facilities under the care of 15 staff.

Health Officer Dr. Mark Larson said in a press release that the illness is usually caused by eating or drinking contaminated food or water, but can also be spread from person-to-person if infected people do not wash their hands after using a toilet or if a person does not wash their hands after changing the diaper of an infected child.

In daycare E. coli outbreaks, families have legal rights to compensation in connection with illness suffered by their children.  For a free case consultation or for answers to questions surrounding who pays for health care expenses, lost wages and other harms, call an E. coli lawyer at Pritzker Olsen at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free). If you prefer online communication, we have a contact form on the side of this Web page.

Our firm is a leading national litigator in foodborne illness outbreaks and has direct experience in representing families involved in daycare E. coli infection. While some people recover from E. coli O157:H7 with no medical treatment, there is significant risk of serious complications, especially in children under the age of 5.

People of any age, but especially young children, can develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) from E. coli. This potentially fatal disease often leads to acute kidney failure and sometimes leads to other serious conditions, including stroke, brain damage, paralysis, heart problems and anemia.

Note to families in the Ellensburg area affected by this daycare E. coli outbreak:

E. coli testing is being implemented before the facilities reopen. A county press release said one negative test will now be accepted if an individual has had no symptoms of E. coli within the past three weeks. These symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes bloody diarrhea), or abdominal cramping. For those who have had any symptoms of the illness and those who have tested positive for E. coli, two negative tests will still be required before that person is allowed to return.

Kittitas County is providing free testing for the children.

Boulder County Public Health announced the outbreak in a press release, saying two children have been hospitalized and one has been released.

Since June 10, 16 people who reported drinking raw milk from Billy Goat Dairy have become ill. In connection with the goat milk outbreak, Boulder County has ordered the dairy to stop distribution of its raw milk products.

According to health department officials, Longmont’s Billy Goat Dairy operates a goat share program in which individuals buy a share of a goat and in return receive raw, unpasteurized milk. The agency is contacting every household who participates in the program to check for illness.

E. coli O157:H7 and Campylobacter are types of bacteria found in the intestines of animals that can be passed in their feces to food.

If you or a loved one has been sickened in the Billy Goat raw milk Campylobacter and E. coli outbreak, contact food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) for a free consultation regarding your legal options. Our law firm represents raw milk E. coli victims and currently represents a Pennsylvania man in a raw milk Campylobacter lawsuit.

In that case, the client’s Campylobacter infection left him paralyzed and critically ill in a hospital.

Serious cases of E. coli can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which leads to kidney failure and can cause many other serious health injuries, including brain damage, heart problems and harm to the central nervous system. A person of any age can suffer from HUS, but young children are most susceptible to it.

Matching DNA Fingerprints of the Outbreak Strain

A total of eight individuals from seven different households are now considered part of the outbreak, which started in late May. Of the three new cases, two are school-age children who drank Hartmann raw milk, the state said. The third is an infant living in the same home as one of the first five victims.

The information was released  by the Minnesota Department of Health. A health department press release said the outbreak investigation has found 26 matching samples of  E. coli O157:H7, including isolates found in the dairy barn where the cows are milked.

The Hartmann raw milk outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 has not previously been found in Minnesota. It has led to life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in one of the young outbreak victims.

Law firm Pritzker Olsen, based in Minneapolis, currently represents a man in Pennsylvania who became paralyzed this spring from a food poisoning infection caused by contaminated raw milk. Our firm is involved in practically every major outbreak of E coli and other foodborne pathogens. We represent families who seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other harms.

For answers to legal questions about the MN E. coli milk outbreak, call Pritzker Olsen at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or complete our online contact form. We will provide you with a free case consultation, including an explanation of how clients don’t pay us unless we win their case.