McDonald’s Salad Linked to Multistate Cyclosporiasis Outbreak

 Posted on July 27, 2018 in Blog Post

McDonald’s is known around the world for their golden arches, Ronald McDonald and their famous hamburgers and fries. Lately, McDonald’s has been in the news because of a suspicion that lettuce in their salads has caused over 100 people in the Midwest to become sick with an intestinal parasite. In response to the trend of people reporting they had eaten a salad at McDonald’s, the Illinois Department of Public Health is investigating the cases of food poisoning to determine if there is a link between the outbreak and the restaurant.

Investigations Are Underway

Over 100 people have reported cyclospora poisoning after they had eaten a salad from McDonald’s. The reports began in Illinois and soon were also reported in Iowa. The lettuce from the salads in Illinois and Iowa came from the same supplier, so McDonald’s, which is based in Chicago, has stopped serving salads at 3,000 restaurants in 14 states across the Midwest as a precautionary measure.

What Is Cyclospora Poisoning?

Cyclospora is a parasite that is often spread by ingesting something that has been contaminated with fecal matter that has the parasite. Cyclospora settles in the small intestine and its most common symptom is watery diarrhea, though those infected with cyclospora can also experience nausea, vomiting, tiredness, weight loss, bloating or stomach cramps. Typically, symptoms show up about a week after infection and can last anywhere between a few days and a month. Symptoms can also show back up one or multiple times if it is not treated.

Pursuing Product Liability Lawsuits for Food Poisoning

In Illinois, the idea of strict product liability means that you do not have to prove that the seller of the product was negligent--you just have to prove that the seller sold an unreasonably dangerous product and that injuries or damages were caused by the product. There are three types of defects that you can use to prove that a product was dangerous:

• Manufacturing defects;
• Design defects; and
• Inadequate warnings or instructions.

In the case of food poisonings, the type of defect the product had was a manufacturing defect. You might have a case if you have evidence that the food you ingested caused your injuries or damages, which can include things such as:

• Medical costs;
• Lost income; and
• Pain and suffering.

Consult with a Park Ridge Product Liability Attorney

Though a cyclospora parasitic infection is not typically fatal, it can be painful and cause you to be seriously ill. If you have experienced any sort of food poisoning that has forced you to take time off of work, given you expensive medical bills or caused you a great deal of pain and suffering, you need to talk to a knowledgeable Des Plaines product liability lawyer as soon as possible. Contact the Quinn Law Group, LLC, to figure out if you have a case. Call the office at 847-232-7180 to set up a consultation.

Sources:

https://www.ilnews.org/news/health/illinois-officials-warn-of-food-poisoning-possibly-linked-to-mcdonald/article_ea362f6c-86af-11e8-839b-5352517cc59f.html

http://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/diseases-a-z-list/cyclospora

http://www.illinoiscourts.gov/CircuitCourt/CivilJuryInstructions/400.00.pdf