Roughly one month ago, several organic food companies instituted voluntary recalls after it came to light that some of their products may have contained spinach that was contaminated with the listeria bacteria. According to an article by USA Today, the listeria concerns continue, this time over Blue Bell ice cream.
The Texas-based creamery recently recalled its entire product line after discovering contaminated ice cream originating from its Brenham, Texas plant as well as its Broken Arrow, Oklahoma plant. The company told reporters that they discovered several half-gallon containers of cookie dough ice cream had been contaminated with the dangerous listeria bacteria.
Blue Bell ships its products across the country. The following states are all included in the recall: Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Wyoming, Missouri, Nevada, and New Mexico. The manufacture dates of the contaminated product are March 17 and March 27.
The Dangers of Listeria
A spokesperson from Blue Bell released a statement explaining the dangers of listeria and the importance of following the recall. She explained that listeria “can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. . . . high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.”
Washington DC Food-Borne Illness Cases
Food manufacturers have a duty to ensure the safety of their products. When someone is made ill through contaminated food, the manufacturer of that product may be held liable for the injuries caused as a result. In addition, depending on the circumstances, any other person or company who handled the contaminated food item between its inception and its final consumption may also be held liable.
Proving a case of food poisoning can be difficult for several reasons. First, the injured party must be able to prove causation, meaning that they must show that their injuries were in fact caused by ingesting the contaminated food. Second, proving that a particular food item was contaminated may be difficult in some cases, given the perishable nature of food. Finally, since people rarely document everything they eat in a day, proving that a person actually consumed the contaminated food can also be problematic. Therefore, before initiating a products liability case arising out of injuries related to contaminated food, it is best to consult with a dedicated Washington DC personal injury attorney.
Have You Suffered though a Serious Case of Food Poisoning?
If you or a loved one has recently suffered through a serious case of food poisoning or other food-borne illness, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. The skilled advocates at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers have decades of experience helping injured Washingtonians recover for their injuries, and we know what it takes to succeed in Washington court. To learn more about Washington food-poisoning cases, and to set up a free initial consultation to discuss your case, call 410-654-3600 today.
More Blog Posts:
Maryland Appellate Court Denies Hospital’s Appeal in Glen Burnie Birth Injury Case, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, March 24, 2015
One Dead, Dozens Injured in DC Metro Smoke Incident, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, January 16, 2015