Tennessee Criminal Lawyer Blog

The criminal and civil trial lawyers at Baker Associates are dedicated to serving the people of Tennessee. The negativity surrounding E. coli has been the recent topic of many news reports and discussions throughout Tennessee and the nation.

First, there was the multi-state outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections from spinach. The FDA announced that all spinach implicated in the outbreak was traced back to Natural Selection Foods LLC of San Juan Bautista, California. This determination was based on epidemiological and laboratory evidence obtained by multiple states and coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The 26 affected states were: Arizona (7), California (2), Colorado (1), Connecticut (3) Idaho (4), Illinois (1), Indiana (9), Kentucky (8), Maine (3), Maryland (3), Michigan (4), Minnesota (2), Nebraska (9), Nevada (1), New Mexico (5), New York (11), Ohio (25), Oregon (6), Pennsylvania (9), Tennessee (1), Utah (17), Virginia (2), Washington (3), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (49), and Wyoming (1). In addition, Canada had one confirmed case.

After the E. coli spinach scare, taco-bell was host to numerous E. coli O157:H7 infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the number of people infected with the dangerous O157:H7 strain was more than 70. Most of those cases have been linked to Taco Bells in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Infection with E. coli O157: H7 causes diarrhea, often bloody. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some people can develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a form of kidney failure. HUS is most likely to occur in young children and the elderly. The condition can lead to serious kidney damage and even death.

Now, the USDA issued a notice about a recall of 21.7 millions pounds of frozen ground beef patties due to E. coli O157: H7 contamination. Only time will tell how many people are injured this time. The corporations that sell these contaminated products are often sued civilly.

Although civil suits may help the victims and family members financially, the responsible people should not be able to hide behind the corporate shield of liability. The companies who profit from the sale of all consumer goods including food products must be held to the highest standards. Food is a necessity, not a luxury. E. coli O157: H7 harms people, and the legislature should consider holding these wrongdoers criminally responsible.

Baker Associates is committed to fighting to protect families and their children. If you or your family has been injured by E. coli O157, consult with one of our attorneys. Our E. coli lawyers handle E. coli cases across Tennessee including Knoxville, Nashville, Memphis, Johnson City, Morristown, Maryville, and Sevierville.