PITTSBURGH, PA — Marler Clark, the Seattle attorneys representing over 80 victims of the Sheetz Salmonella outbreak, filed a second lawsuit Tuesday against Cornet Foods in Federal District Court in Pittsburgh. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Jerri Reges, a 39-year-old Cabot, Butler County, PA resident who suffered from a Salmonella infection traced to tomatoes supplied to Sheetz stores by Coronet Foods. Co-counsel in the case is the Pittsburgh firm Meyers, Rosen, Louik & Perry.
Ms. Reges purchased a sandwich from the Sheetz convenience store located on Center Avenue in Butler, PA, on July 5. On July 6, she became ill with symptoms of Salmonella infection, including bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. She was hospitalized at Butler Memorial Hospital for severe abdominal pain, dehydration, and low blood pressure, was kept in isolation for two days, and was eventually released four days later. She continues to recover. Her stool cultured positive for the outbreak strain of Salmonella, according to the investigating health agencies.
“Coronet Foods had a legal and moral responsibility to supply Sheetz with food that was fit for human consumption,” said William Marler, managing partner of Marler Clark. “Clearly, tomatoes contaminated with Salmonella, a potentially deadly pathogen, do not fit that description.”
“Ms. Reges’ husband missed a week of work while he was home caring for his wife, and her illness severely disrupted the lives of her two teenage children,” Marler continued. “I am concerned that since the FDA and Pennsylvania Department of Health have confirmed that the illnesses were linked to Coronet Foods’ tomatoes, the company has still not made any moves to compensate my clients.”
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BACKGROUND: In addition to the victims of the Sheetz Salmonella outbreak, Marler Clark represents over 100 victims of the Chi-Chi’s hepatitis-A outbreak and 50 victims of the 2002 Chili’s Salmonella outbreak outside Chicago. Marler Clark has achieved great success representing victims, mostly children, in large outbreaks across the country over the last ten years. The firm has obtained record verdicts and settlements on behalf of thousands of people infected with E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, hepatitis A, Listeria, Shigella, and Campylobacter. Total recoveries to date on behalf of such victims exceed $175 million. See the firm-sponsored sites and useful related links at www.about-salmonella.com, www.salmonellalitigation.com, and www.salmonellablog.com.
More about the Sheetz Salmonella outbreak can be found in the Case News area of this site.