SEATTLE — Marler Clark launched www.hepatitislitigation.com last week in an effort to make the claims process easier for people who became ill with, or required immunization against, hepatitis A after eating at the Beaver Valley Mall Chi-Chi’s restaurant in late October and early November of last year. Proof of Claim forms are available through a link on the site’s home page, and can easily be downloaded, filled out, and printed from a computer user’s screen.
On March 19, 2004, Chi-Chi’s, Inc. filed a motion setting a Bar Date for filing Proof of Claim forms against the company. Once the Order has been signed by the Court, anyone injured in the hepatitis A outbreak linked to the Beaver Valley Mall Chi-Chi’s restaurant will have until the Bar Date of June 4, 2004 at 4:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time to file a Proof of Claim form asserting a claim for damages against Chi-Chi’s, or else be barred from filing claims in the future.
“By putting the forms on the Internet, we hope to help victims of the outbreak – whether they had hepatitis A infections or had to have Immune Globulin shots to prevent infection – by giving them access to the start of the claims process,” said William Marler, attorney for 80 victims of the outbreak. “If people haven’t retained an attorney yet and do not know the process of filing a claim against Chi-Chi’s, at least this is a starting point for them.”
“With Chi-Chi’s in bankruptcy court, making sure claims are filed properly is essential,” Marler added. He noted, however, that while the forms are available to everyone on the website, his firm will only be completing and submitting forms on behalf of present and future clients.
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About Marler Clark: Marler Clark is the premiere food illness litigation firm in the Untied States. It has achieved great success representing victims, mostly children, in the largest foodborne illness outbreaks across the country over the last ten years. Marler Clark obtained a million dollar settlement on behalf of people infected with hepatitis A after eating contaminated food at two Seattle Subway Sandwich franchises. The firm has also represented victims who became ill with hepatitis A after eating at a Carl’s Jr. restaurant in Spokane, Washington, three restaurants in Northwest Arkansas, a large wedding party in Michigan, which resulted in a death, a Taco Bell outlet in Florida, and at a deli in Massachusetts.
See www.hepatitislitigation.com, www.about-hepatitis.com and www.foodborneillness.com for more information on hepatitis litigation and outbreaks.
More about the Chi-Chi's hepatitis A outbreak can be found in the Case News area of this site.