Two lawsuits were filed this morning against Ixtapa Bajaras, Inc., doing business as the Ixtapa Family Mexican Restaurant. The restaurant, located at 301 91st Avenue NE in Lake Stevens, was the source of a 2008 outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 which sickened at least 23 patrons, according to the Snohomish County Health Department (SCHD). The lawsuits were filed by Drew Falkenstein of foodborne illness law firm Marler Clark on behalf of two restaurant patrons who ate at the restaurant in October 2008.
The plaintiffs in the cases are Sally Ring and Jean Jubie, both of whom suffered severe illnesses requiring substantial medical treatment. “We entrust our health to restaurants whenever we walk through their door,” said Falkenstein. “We never expect that the treat of a meal out will send us to the hospital, cost us thousands of dollars in medical expenses, and create long-term health issues. Restaurants are necessarily held to a high standard of safety, and when they fail to meet that standard, they are responsible to the customers who trusted them.”