--- title: "Bill Marler, Food Safety Lawyer, profiled in the Netflix documentary “Poisoned,” is available to speak about the recent E. coli outbreak linked to California walnuts" date: 2024-04-30T17:05:00-07:00 author: Julie Dueck canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/news_events/bill-marler-food-safety-lawyer-profiled-in-the-netflix-documentary-poisoned-is-available-to-speak-about-the-recent-e-coli-outbreak-linked-to-california-walnuts" section: News --- [All News](/news_events) / [Press Releases](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/press-releases) / # Bill Marler, Food Safety Lawyer, profiled in the Netflix documentary “Poisoned,” is available to speak about the recent E. coli outbreak linked to California walnuts SEATTLE, Wash. — The CDC and FDA have reported that as of April 30, 2024, 12 people infected with E. coli have been reported from Washington and California. Illnesses started between February 1, 2024 and April 4, 2024. Of 11 people with information available, seven (64%) have been hospitalized. Two patients have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can cause kidney failure. “HUS can be deadly, and even those who survive can be left with long-term consequences, including the need for a kidney transplant,” said Bill Marler. “I have been litigating E. coli cases since the 1993 Jack in the Box case and have only seen one other E. coli outbreak linked to walnuts. That 2011 outbreak in Canada sicked 14 people and left one dead." Traceback data collected by the FDA determined that Gibson Farms, Inc. of Hollister, California, was the supplier of organic walnuts that were distributed to multiple natural food and co-op stores in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington and sold in bulk bins. The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for E. coli. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes three to four weeks to determine whether a sick person is part of an outbreak. Public health investigators are using the CDC's PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. PulseNet manages a national database of DNA fingerprints of bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses. DNA fingerprinting is performed on bacteria using a method called whole genome sequencing (WGS). WGS showed that bacteria from sick people’s samples are closely related genetically. This suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from the same food. Marler Clark’s work as lawyers and food safety advocates is highlighted in the Netflix Documentary [“Poisoned,”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZcyMgdWmPg) now streaming. ### Lawsuit updates about foodborne illnesses [Reactive Arthritis Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=reactive-arthritis&year=all) [E. coli Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=e-coli&year=all) [Guillain-Barre Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=guillain-barre-syndrome&year=all) [Salmonella Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=salmonella&year=all) [Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=hemolytic-uremic-syndrome&year=all) [Listeria Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=listeria&year=all) [Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=irritable-bowel-syndrome&year=all) [Hepatitis A Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=hepatitis-a&year=all) [Norovirus Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=norovirus&year=all) [Botulism Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=botulism&year=all) [Campylobacter Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=campylobacter&year=all) [Shigella Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=shigella&year=all) [Cyclospora Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=cyclospora&year=all) ### Lawsuits updates by year [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 1998](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=1998) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 1999](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=1999) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2000](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2000) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2001](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2001) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2002](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2002) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2003](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2003) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2004](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2004) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2005](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2005) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2006](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2006) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2007](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2007) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2008](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2008) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2009](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2009) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2010](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2010) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2011](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2011) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2012](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2012) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2013](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2013) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2014](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2014) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2015](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2015) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2016](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2016) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2017](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2017) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2018](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2018) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2019](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2019) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2020](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2020) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2021](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2021) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2022](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2022) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2023](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2023) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2024](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2024) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2025](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2025) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2026](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2026) ##### 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 ](https://marlerclark.com/contact) ##### Related Resources ###### [Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hemolytic-uremic-syndrome/about-hus) What is Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) and what do I need to know about it? Hemolytic uremic syndrome was first described in 1955, but it was not known to be... ###### [Symptoms of HUS](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hemolytic-uremic-syndrome/hus-symptoms-risks) What are the signs and symptoms of Post-Diarrheal Hemolytic Syndrome (D+HUS) and how is the diagnosis made? The bowel inflammation that occurs prior to the onset of HUS is generally... ###### [Treatment for HUS](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hemolytic-uremic-syndrome/hus-treatment) What to Expect During Hospitalization for Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Children with HUS average about two weeks in the hospital, with a range of three days to three months. Approximately two-thirds... ###### [HUS Outcomes](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hemolytic-uremic-syndrome/about-hus-outcomes) What are the expected short and long-term outcomes for patients with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome? The natural history (clinical course) of HUS has improved remarkably with the advent of dialysis and... ###### [HUS and Kidney Transplantation](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hemolytic-uremic-syndrome/about-hus-kidney-transplantation) Kidney transplants result in better lifestyle, longer survival, and better health for HUS patients. The optimal treatment for patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) after HUS remains kidney transplantation—it results... ##### 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 ](https://outbreakdatabase.com)