Marler Clark retained by eight individuals – 22 illnesses and 2 deaths reported.
Our investigation thus far shows of the 22 illnesses, 11 are Montana residents, 1 Canadian, 1 Oregon and 1 Arizona (death). At this time it is likely that other states will report illnesses of people that visited Flathead County in late June through mid-July and who ate at one of the five restaurants.
Samples of the suspected product were sent to the DPHHS Montana Public Health Laboratory for testing, which allowed for laboratory confirmation of the outbreak source. None of the contaminated beef remains in circulation and all businesses associated with this outbreak have been contacted directly. Lower Valley Processing products are the source of the outbreak and were labeled with “Lower Valley Processing, Co.,” establishment number “EST. 007” inside the Montana mark of inspection on the product labels, and lot numbers 1398, 1399 and 1400.
The Flathead City-County Health Department (FCCHD) and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) continue to work together to investigate an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak originating in Flathead County.
On July 25th, FCCHD and DPHHS received confirmatory testing results of clinical and food samples verifying ground beef as the exposure of concern. Specifically, the source of the outbreak was wagyu beef from one lot number. All cases reported eating undercooked or made-to-order burgers made with wagyu beef at one of multiple restaurants in Flathead County. The last known date of consumption was July 14, 2024.
The following restaurants are associated with the 14 cases of reported illness in this outbreak: Gunsight Saloon; Hops Downtown Grill; Tamarack Brewing Company; the Lodge at Whitefish Lake; and Harbor Grille. Furthermore, based on information provided through case investigation, one individual has died after exposure to wagyu beef consumed at Harbor Grille.
Patients associated with this outbreak were sickened with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157 which can be caused by a person eating raw or undercooked animal products contaminated with this strain of bacteria. Symptoms of this type of E. coli infection can include severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and chills. Young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for severe illness. In severe cases, the infection can also trigger a serious condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HUS can lead to kidney failure, permanent health conditions, and death.
Symptoms of E. coli infection occur between one and ten days after exposure, with an average of three to four days after exposure. Individuals that may be experiencing these symptoms are encouraged to contact their healthcare provider.
Several other facilities—Flathead Fish, the Crawdad Café, and the Flathead Lake Lodge, received contaminated wagyu beef from the same lot number, but no reported illnesses have been associated with these establishments. Once the source of exposure was preliminarily identified, public health staff worked directly with affected businesses to ensure all remaining wagyu beef from the contaminated lot was removed from use.
Samples of the suspected product were sent to the DPHHS Montana Public Health Laboratory for testing, which allowed for laboratory confirmation of the outbreak source. None of the contaminated beef remains in circulation and all businesses associated with this outbreak have been contacted directly.
Bill Marler interviewed by Kalispell Channel 8 KPAX News.
E. coli O157 infections can be caused by a person eating a product that is contaminated with this strain of bacteria. Symptoms of E. coli infection include severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and chills. In severe cases, the infection can also damage organs. Symptoms of E. coli infection occur between one and ten days after exposure, with an average of three to four days after exposure. Individuals that may be experiencing these symptoms are encouraged to contact their healthcare provider.
E. coli infections can be prevented by taking the following precautions:
• Cook ground beef and pork to a minimum internal temperature of 160°F. Do not eat rare or undercooked ground beef.
• Always carefully wash hands with soap and warm water after using the bathroom and changing diapers, and before handling or eating any food.
• Always wash hands after contact with farm animals, animal feces, and animal environments.
• Wash raw fruits and vegetables before eating.
• Keep raw meat separate from produce and other foods when shopping for and storing groceries.
• Avoid unpasteurized beverages. FCCHD encourages individuals to take precautionary measures to prevent foodborne illness.
E. coli: Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $850 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products. The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s. We have proudly represented such victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.
If you or a family member became ill with an E. coli infection or HUS after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark E. coli attorneys for a free case evaluation.