Reuters is reporting from Chicago that Cargill Inc. is being sued by a Minnesota dance instructor who became paralyzed and is now confined to a wheelchair after consuming a hamburger contaminated with E.coli-tainted beef that she alleges Cargill Inc. produced.While the two are not related, Cargill-owned, and Fresno-based Beef Packers Inc. is currently recalling 22, 723 pounds of ground beef that tested positive for salmonella. This is the second recall Beef Packers has had to issue this year.
The former dancer, Stephanie Smith of Cold Spring, Minnesota is 22-years-old, and according to her attorney Bill Marler, “[s]he may never recover to lead a normal life [.]” Thus the lawsuit filed last week in US District court in Minnesota.
Marler, according to the Reuters report, specializes in food-borne illness law. Marler told Reuters that the Smith family and Cargill had been in negotiations to settle before the suit was filed. ‘“We are worlds apart on what this kid needs for her future [Marler said]. We had no alternative but to file.”’
For their part, Cargill offered Reuters the following statement, ‘“Cargill deeply regrets Ms. Smith's continuing suffering due to her illness. Each time Ms. Smith's family has asked for financial assistance to cover out-of-pocket and rehabilitation costs, Cargill has advanced funds to help her and her family,’ Cargill said in an email statement. ‘We will continue to provide assistance to maximize her recovery and will continue to work with her counsel to reach a fair resolution.”’
To read the Reuters article click here.
Posted: 12/08/09
