As consumers, we are dependent on the food products we purchase to be safe for consumption. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has strict standards in place for the screening, packaging, and distribution of food products for a reason: to keep us safe from exposure to foodborne illnesses. These standards are in place to prevent dangerous products from landing in restaurants and on store shelves, but this process sometimes fails to stop harmful food products from making us ill.
When the public is exposed to such health risks, we have a right to take legal action to hold the responsible parties accountable. If you or a loved one became ill after consuming a salad at McDonald’s, the experienced attorneys at Spiros Law, P.C. can help you. We are ready to stand up for you and help you get the compensation you deserve for what you went through. By taking action, you can secure the compensation you need to pay your medical bills and other expenses, and you can help send a message to the industry that proper screening measures need to be followed to prevent others from becoming ill. Contact us at (815) 929-9292, chat with a representative live, or fill out a contact form today.
More about the McDonald’s Outbreak: What Exactly Happened?
More than 3,000 McDonald’s locations have pulled salad from their menu following a widespread food poisoning outbreak across the Midwest. They have also removed salad blend from potentially affected distribution centers.
Victims have potentially contracted an intestinal parasite, cyclospora, after eating at McDonald’s. The parasite causes normal food poisoning symptoms, such as vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea. The symptoms can take up to a week to appear, and may persist for days or months at a time. Sometimes, they subside, then return.
The Illinois Department of Public Health has been unable to identify the source of the parasite. 20 people have become ill since mid-May in Illinois, with another 15 becoming ill in Iowa in late June and early July. Some outlets report as many as 90 people getting sick, though not all consumed salad.
The parasite can be treated with antibiotics, so anyone who has eaten salad at a midwest McDonald’s location since May should visit the doctor as soon as possible.
If you or someone you love has become ill after eating at McDonald’s, please contact one of our experienced food poisoning attorneys of Spiros Law, P.C. at (815) 929-9292 as soon as possible.
McDonald’s Foodborne Illness Outbreak: Updates
July 30th: 123 more people have been infected with cyclospora infection as of last Thursday, officials report. This brings the total number of cases up to a whopping 286. For 11 unlucky people, the parasite has sent them to the hospital.
The most recent case was reported on June 29th. However, because symptoms can take up to six weeks to show up, more cases are expected to appear.
The parasite has spread outside of the Midwest, affecting people in Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Nebraska, South Dakota, Montana, Tennessee, Virginia, Florida, and Connecticut, in addition to Iowa and Illinois. That said, the patients from Florida, Virginia, Tennessee, Michigan, and Connecticut bought their salads in Illinois and Kentucky.
Officials have still been unable to determine the source of the disease. In the meantime, McDonald’s changed its lettuce supplier on July 20th. Officials also state that this outbreak is not connected to the outbreak of cyclosporiasis currently affecting Del Monte vegetable trays in Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
August 3rd: The cyclospora outbreak is continuing to spread, with no sign of slowing. 109 additional cases were confirmed Thursday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 395. The parasite has now sent 16 people to the hospital.
The FDA has been able to trace the parasite to Fresh Express salad mix. They are still working to identify which precise ingredient is responsible for the contamination. In the meantime, Fresh Express has issued a recall of their salad mix, which was also sold in grocery stores.
Contact Us
To stay updated on this developing story, keep checking our blog, or read more at CNN. If you have been become ill after eating a McDonald’s salad in the past few months, do not hesitate to contact one of our food poisoning attorneys from Spiros Law, P.C. at (815) 929-9292.
