Food-Borne Illness Case Settled

    As a salmonella outbreak tied to tomatoes has spread into 22 states and the Food and Drug Administration continues to fail to protect the American public, the Associated Press reports the settlement of a food-borne illness case from Milwaukee involving the death of a 3 year old girl from an e-coli related syndrome.  The case involved exposure to tainted meat in 2000 at a Sizzler restaurant in Milwaukee.   Along the way, a trial court judge dismissed the case on preemption ground, accepting the meat producer's argument that it should not be held liable, accountable or responsible because it had complied with FDA regulations in handling the beef.   The lawyer for the child's family described the case "as a study in perseverance."  It is also a case study of how inadequate FDA regulation is in protecting the public and how essential is state tort law in holding corporations accountable to that public.

Robert L. Abell
www.RobertAbellLaw.com