One of three children, reportedly infected by E. coli 0157:H7 last year after ingesting raw milk from the same creamery, is the subject of a lawsuit as the infection has caused the child to develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) as reported by Food Safety News.
HUS purportedly can cause kidney failure.
Seattle-based food safety law firm, Marler Clark, will file the suit in Thurston County, naming Cozy Valley Creamery as the responsible party.
Cozy Valley Creamery is located in Tenino, WA.
After receiving reports that the exact same strain of E. coli infected the three children, the creamery recalled its unpasteurized milk products on November 23. A Washington State Department of Agriculture investigation found that the creamery’s milking parlor and processing areas were contaminated with E. coli – and the strain found was genetically indistinguishable from the outbreak strain.
Seven retail outlets located in Pierce, Thurston and King counties, as well as the creamery’s farm store, sold both raw and skim milk. Named markets that sold the items include Olympia Food Co-Op, Olympia Local Foods, Mt. Community Co-op and Yelm Cooperative.
The child in the lawsuit, five years old at the time of the infection, had reportedly been drinking the raw milk for several months before becoming ill on November 5. Her symptoms began with abdominal cramps, nausea and diarrhea – but then escalated. At this point her parents took her in to see a pediatrician. The physician recommended emergency treatment. And, a stool specimen was taken.
The specimen revealed that the child tested positive for E. coli 0157:H7.
During the course of her treatment – the child was given fluids intravenously and appeared to be on the road to recovery – she took a turn for the worse and was rushed to a hospital in Tacoma.
The lab results taken at the Tacoma Hospital proved that she had now developed the more serious ailment: hemolytic uremic syndrome.
From Tacoma the child was whisked away to Seattle Children’s Hospital for a week of further treatment. She required a blood transfusion and remains, to this day, anemic and in need of follow-up medical treatment.
The lawsuit states that contaminated raw milk has caused a minimum of 39 documented cases of E. coli 0157:H7. The outbreaks, dating from 2007 forward, are listed in the suit. The alleged outbreaks name several creameries: Town Farm Dairy in Simsbury, Autumn Olive Farms milk sold in Missouri, Alexandre Ecodairy products sickened people in California, Kinikin Dairy in Montrose County, Hartmann Dairy in Minnesota and Organic Pastures dairy in Fresno, California.
In the Organic Pastures dairy incident, five children were infected and the California State Veterinarian put the dairy under quarantine. Each child had been made ill from ingesting raw milk infected with the exact same strain of E. coli 0157:H7.
Three of the five children were also hospitalized for developing HUS.
If you, or a family member, have been made ill after ingesting a food product, you have grounds for a lawsuit and you need to contact a personal injury lawyer to represent you. A monetary award can help defray your current and future medical bills.