During McDonald’s earnings call earlier this week, executives noted that the E. coli outbreak is contained and laid out a plan for near-term recovery from the crisis to regain some of the momentum it was experiencing prior.
The legal fallout from the crisis, however, seems to be just getting started. On Tuesday, consumers filed a class action lawsuit against the quick-service giant, led by Amanda McCray of Chicago and William Michael Kraft from Florida, claiming they experienced symptoms consistent with E. coli after eating Quarter Pounders earlier this month. They are seeking unspecified damages, but exceeding $5 million, on behalf of all United States consumers who purchased contaminated Quarter Pounders.
Another lawsuit has been filed by a Colorado teenager who alleges she is experiencing acute kidney failure after consuming three Quarter Pounders between Sept. 27 and Oct. 8. The 15-year-old has been hospitalized and is undergoing dialysis, Newsweek reports. Her attorney, Ron Simon from Ron Simon & Associates, represents 33 total alleged McDonald’s E. coli victims, nine of whom were hospitalized and two who have developed kidney issues. The outbreak has sickened at least 75 people and killed at least one.
Meanwhile, last week, two lawsuits were filed against McDonald’s by consumers in Nebraska, with both plaintiffs alleging the consumption of Quarter Pounders sent them to the emergency room. McDonald’s announced the outbreak Oct. 22, and legal battles began immediately. The first suit came from a consumer who ate at a McDonald’s in Colorado and began experiencing symptoms consistent with E. coli poisoning. The customer is also represented by Ron Simon & Associates, and the lawsuit accuses McDonald’s of negligence and product liability.
"The McDonald's E. coli outbreak will be one of the most significant food poisoning outbreaks this year. Through this lawsuit and others, we will make sure that all of the victims are fully compensated for their losses, that their voices are heard, and that McDonald's and its suppliers permanently fix the health violations that caused the food to become contaminated with E. coli,” Simon said in a statement.
As of the beginning of this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified E. coli illnesses in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, Washington, Montana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Symptoms of E. coli infection include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting, according to the CDC.
McDonald's, in partnership with health agencies, has since traced the outbreak to slivered onions on the Quarter Pounder sourced from a single supplier. The onions were promptly removed, while McDonald’s stopped working with the supplier indefinitely.
Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]
