A food safety-focused law firm is suing Northeast Seafood Products over a salmonella outbreak allegedly linked to the supplier’s seafood.
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.-based Northeast recalled several fresh seafood products and temporarily shut down production in early October after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration traced a major salmonella outbreak to the supplier. The salmonella outbreak has resulted in 102 illnesses and 19 hospitalizations, according to an FDA press release.
National food safety law firm Ron Simon & Associates, along with Denver-based attorney Dan Lipman of Parker Lipman LLP, filed the lawsuit on behalf of Corey Slater, who purchased halibut, cod, and salmon at his local Sprouts Farmers Market. After eating the seafood, Slater experienced diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting. He was forced to seek medical treatment and was found to have salmonella poisoning, Ron Simon & Associates said in a press release.
The 102 illnesses are “just the tip of the iceberg,” Simon said.
“Many people are under the false impression that freezing will kill bacteria like salmonella. Unfortunately, it does not,” Simon said. “We expect more victims in this outbreak as innocent consumers go to their freezers to retrieve tonight’s dinner. We encourage everyone to make sure these products are no longer in their freezers, and to seek medical attention if they become ill after having consumed these products.”
Simon told SeafoodSource his firm is planning to file lawsuits against Northeast on behalf of several other salmonella-poisoning victims, and said he believes the litigation will be successful.
“I’ve handled over 5,000 food-poisoning cases, winning over USD 750 million [EUR 645 million] for clients,” Simon said. “They will pay. They will eventually do what it’s right. Through our discovery and questioning of witnesses, it will prevent this company from ever buying and selling a bad batch of food again.”
Photo courtesy of Ron Simon & Associates
