All News / Press Releases /

Stephanie Smith and Cargill Meat Solutions Settle E. coli Lawsuit

Stephanie Smith and Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation announce jointly that they have settled the lawsuit filed by Ms. Smith in December 2009. Ms. Smith, a twenty-two year old former dance instructor from Cold Spring, Minnesota, sued for the severe injuries she suffered as a result of an E. coli O157:H7 infection in Fall 2007. Cargill acknowledged responsibility for her injuries since first learning of them and has been providing financial help to her and her family.

Ms. Smith and Cargill agree that the confidential settlement will provide for Ms. Smith's care throughout her life. She is presently paralyzed from the waist down, but her goal is to dance again. "This settlement will allow Stephanie to continue her fight to return to her greatest passion, dance," said William D. Marler, food safety advocate and Ms. Smith’s attorney. "The Smith family appreciates this resolution and looks forward to Stephanie's continued rehabilitation," added Marler.

Cargill deeply regrets Ms. Smith’s injuries and is also hopeful for her continued rehabilitation. Cargill has invested more than $1 billion in ongoing meat science research and new food safety technologies and interventions to eliminate E. coli and other naturally occurring pathogens that can lead to food-borne illnesses.

The parties’ settlement now will be presented to the federal court for approval and dismissal of all claims.

Get Help

Affected by an outbreak or recall?

The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more.

Get a free consultation
Related Resources
E. coli Food Poisoning

What is E. coli and how does it cause food poisoning? Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a highly studied, common species of bacteria that belongs to the family Enterobacteriaceae, so...

E. coli O157:H7

E. coli O157:H7 is a foodborne pathogen that causes food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 is the most commonly identified and the most notorious Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serotype in...

Non-O157 STEC

Non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli can also cause food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 may be the most notorious serotype of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), but there are at least...

Sources of E. coli

Where do E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) come from? The primary reservoirs, or ultimate sources, of E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 STEC in nature are...

Transmission of and Infection with E. coli

While many dairy cattle-associated foodborne disease outbreaks are linked to raw milk and other raw dairy products (e.g., cheeses, butter, ice cream), dairy cattle still represent a source of contamination...

Outbreak Database

Looking for a comprehensive list of outbreaks?

The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more.

View Outbreak Database