McDonald's Hepatitis A Class Action Lawsuit
Customers and employees of the McDonald's restaurant at 400 W. 1st Street in Milan, Illinois were exposed to the Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) in June and July, 2009 due to a McDonald's food worker who had the virus. As many as 10,000 people may have been exposed to HAV over the two-month period either by exposure to the employee, consumption of food prepared by the employee, or exposure to others who had been exposed to the virus. The Rock Island Health Department recommends that anyone who may have been exposed get a Immune Globulin (IG) shot, which, if given within 14 days of exposure, can prevent illness.
On July 21, 2009, Marler Clark filed a class action hepatitis lawsuit on behalf of those who had to get shots because the McDonald's outbreak. The lawsuit seeks compensation for those who had to take time off work to wait in line for a shot, pay for a shot, or both. Many exposed consumers have contacted Marler Clark to be a part of the lawsuit, and others can still join.
McDonald's Hepatitis A Illness Lawsuits
Marler Clark is also working on behalf of those infected with Hepatitis A in the outbreak, and those exposed outside of the window of shot effectiveness. As the McDonald's Hepatitis A Class Action Lawsuit covers people who were exposed to Hepatitis A and got a shot, individual lawsuits will seek relief for people who were unable to avoid infection and fell ill. Marler Clark filed the first Hepatitis A Illness Lawsuit associated with the Milan McDonald's HAV outbreak on July 23, 2009. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the family of a Rock Island County teenager who was infected with HAV after eating at the Milan McDonald's, and then spent four days in the hospital.
“Our experience in handling large Hepatitis A exposures has allowed us to develop a system for helping as many people as possible recover for injuries sustained without the process being too taxing on individuals or the legal system. We filed a class action on behalf of the exposed who are able to avoid infection, and then help individuals who fall ill on a case by case basis.” - Bill Marler, Marler Clark
Marler Clark has had extensive experience with Hepatitis A outbreaks associated with restaurants. The firm represented members of a 2007 outbreak at a Houlihan's restaurant in Southern Illinois where 2,000 people recieved shots. Marler Clark also represented 9,000 people who had to get IG shots after an outbreak at a Chi-Chi's restaurant in Pennsylvania in 2003. The firm also helped nearly 100 people who became ill with HAV in that outbreak, some gravely. Additional HAV class action lawsuits handled by Marler Clark include Quizno's and Friendly's Restaurant (both in 2004), D'Angelo's Deli in 2001, and Carl's Jr. in 2000.
Marler Clark has also represented many victims who were not able to avoid infection and fell ill with HAV in lawsuits against McDonald's, Subway, Taco Bell, and Chipotle Grill.