The Associated Press reports that a Chicago man has filed a lawsuit against a New York company claiming that they are partially responsible for his illness.
The defendants in the lawsuit are Daniele International Inc. of Rhode Island, Wholesome Spice of New York and Mincing Overseas Spice Company of New Jersey. The plaintiff claims that the salami that he ate that was produced by these companies caused him to become sick. When he was tested by his doctor, the plaintiff claims that he "tested positive for the strain of bacteria implicated in the outbreak."
The Providence Journal reports that the salmonella outbreak caused Daniele to recall 1.2 million pounds of salami in January. The black-pepper-coated meat was linked to 230 sick people between the ages of an infant to the ripe old age of 93. These victims became ill between July 4, 2009, and January 24, 2010. Out of the 230 confirmed cases, 43 people needed to be taken to the hospital for care.
So far, the victim from Chicago and another man from Missouri are the only ones who have filed lawsuits against the companies. They are both using the same personal injury lawyer, Bill Marler.
The plaintiff from Chicago is claiming that the companies are responsible for his illness that caused him to be sick for 3 weeks, lose 6 pounds, and still have pain in his joints. The victim is certain that it was the salami that made him ill because when the Rhode Island Department of Health tested the black pepper that Daniele used in the product, it contained the same strain of salmonella.
Top News reported that a spokesman for Daniele said, "We have temporarily stopped production of salami products. We have also changed our spice suppliers and are now using only irradiated pepper." However, a few days after this statement was issued, the recall was expanded to include 115,000 pounds of "Hot Salame Panino." This time, the Providence Journal reports that the salmonella source may be the crushed red pepper.
Related Resources:
- Salami Food Recall Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination (FindLaw's Common Law)
- Types of Food Poisoning: Salmonella (FindLaw)
- New York Injury Lawyer directory (FindLaw)
