July 8, 2009
JBS Swift faces lawsuit on E. coli contamination recall
Legal firms Marler Clark and Soran & Murray have filed the first lawsuit stemming from the current E. coli recall against JBS Swift Beef Company.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the family of a 14-year-old boy who was infected with E. coli a few days after consuming kabobs. The genetic fingerprint of the E. coli found in his stool matches that of others sickened in the nationwide outbreak tied to recalled JBS Swift beef products.
The lawyers said the company did not release information about the distribution points of the suspected beef in a timely manner and that the US government should work faster in recall situations.
On June 28, JBS Swift expanded its earlier recall of 41,280 pounds of contaminated beef to include an additional 380,000 pounds. Products being recalled have been linked to 23 E. coli illnesses in California, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York and Wisconsin.
