--- title: "Chili's Salmonella Outbreak Lawsuits" date: 2007-10-06T00:22:00-07:00 author: Bill Marler canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/news_events/chilis-salmonella-outbreak-litigation" section: News --- [All News](/news_events) / [Case News](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news) / # Chili's Salmonella Outbreak Lawsuits Over three hundred people who ate food from a Chili’s restaurant in Vernon Hills, Illinois between June 23, 2003 and July 1, 2003 were infected with *Salmonella* javiana, a relatively unusual strain of the sometimes deadly *Salmonella* bacteria.An investigation conducted by the Lake County Health department revealed a host of deficiencies and safety violations that contributed to the *Salmonella* outbreak, or made it worse. These included the operation of the restaurant one day without available hot water, the operation of the restaurant for part of the following day with no available hot water, a general lack of hand-washing that caused fecal-oral contamination of multiple food items, and a dish-machine sanitizer that failed due to lack of repair. Twenty-eight employees tested positive for *Salmonella*, with one employee reporting symptoms as early as June 5, 2003. The Chili’s restaurant closed at the request of the health department, reopening only after it was deemed no longer a threat to public health. After re-opening, sales at the Chili’s restaurant apparently never recovered, and it was closed permanently in May, 2004. Chili’s is owned and operated by Brinker Restaurant Corporation, which is based in Dallas, Texas. The first lawsuit arising from the outbreak was by Marler Clark's *Salmonella* lawyers on July 10, 2003, followed by a second lawsuit on December 16, 2003. Both lawsuits were filed in federal court and included a claim for punitive damages based on what was alleged to be a “conscious disregard of a known safety risk.” On July 6, 2004, Marler Clark filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of all persons who became ill with *Salmonella* infection after eating at the Vernon Hills Chili's restaurant between June 23, 2003 and June 30, 2003. In a news release regarding the filing of the class action lawsuit, Marler Clark partner Denis Stearns said, "Rather than seeking to punish the company for its behavior on a case-by-case basis, in individual lawsuits, this class-action will resolve the punitive damages issue in one lawsuit, on behalf of everyone injured by what is alleged to be Chili’s conscious disregard of the public’s safety.” Marler Clark concluded *Salmonella* litigation against Chili's in August, 2004, when the firm resolved the claims of 53 individuals who were sickened in the outbreak. > PRESS RELEASES:[Lack of hand-washing leads to *Salmonella* outbreak](http://www.marlerclark.com/news/chilis23.htm "Lack of hand-washing leads to Salmonella outbreak") > > [First *Salmonella* lawsuit filed against Chili's](http://www.marlerclark.com/news/chilis3.htm "First Salmonella lawsuit filed against Chili's") > > [Chili's insurance company trying to settle *Salmonella* outbreak claims; Food Safety Attorney advises victims to be careful](http://www.marlerclark.com/news/chilis24.htm "Chili's insurance company trying to settle Salmonella outbreak claims; Food Safety Attorney advises victims to be careful") > > [Second *Salmonella* lawsuit filed against chili's by marler Clark: food Safety Lawyers Renew Call that Chili's Pay Victims' Medical Bills](http://www.marlerclark.com/news/chilis6.htm "Second Salmonella lawsuit filed against chili's by marler Clark: food Safety Lawyers Renew Call that Chili's Pay Victims' Medical Bills") > > [Final Report: Chili's *Salmonella* Outbreak Linked to "Poor Judgment"](http://www.marlerclark.com/news/chilis10.htm "Final Report: Chili's Salmonella Outbreak Linked to") > > [Third Food-Poisoning Lawsuit Filed Against Chili's; First to Name Restaurant Manager as Defendant](http://www.marlerclark.com/news/chilis11.htm "Third Food-Poisoning Lawsuit Filed Against Chili's; First to Name Restaurant Manager as Defendant") > > [Punitive Damages Claim Added to Chili's *Salmonella* Outbreak Lawsuits](http://www.marlerclark.com/news/chilis12.htm "Punitive Damages Claim Added to Chili's Salmonella Outbreak Lawsuits") > > [Marler Clark files fourth lawsuit against Chili's on behalf of a man alleging permanent injuries as a result of his *Salmonella* infection](http://www.marlerclark.com/news/chilis14.htm "Marler Clark files fourth lawsuit against Chili's on behalf of a man alleging permanent injuries as a result of his salmonella infection") > > [Two new *Salmonella* lawsuits filed against Chili's](http://www.marlerclark.com/news/chilis17.htm "Two new Salmonella lawsuits filed against Chili's") > > [Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Chili's; Punitive Damages Sought](http://www.marlerclark.com/news/chilis18.htm "Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Chili's; Punitive Damages Sought") > > [Marler Clark announces settlement of 49 Chili's *Salmonella* Claims](http://www.marlerclark.com/news/chilis20.htm "Marler Clark announces settlement of 49 Chili's Salmonella Claims") More about the [Chili's *Salmonella* outbreak](http://www.about-salmonella.com/salmonella_outbreaks/view/chilis-salmonella-outbreak/ "Chili's Salmonella outbreak") can be found on the Marler Clark-sponsored site about *Salmonella*. ### Other Salmonella Lawsuits [64 with Salmonella tied to Oysters](https://marlerclark.com/64-with-salmonella-tied-to-oysters) [Vega Farms Salmonella Outbreak Sickens 63](https://marlerclark.com/vega-farms-salmonella-outbreak-sickens-63) [Green Supplement causes Salmonella Outbreak](https://marlerclark.com/green-supplement-causes-salmonella-outbreak) [Salmonella Outbreak tied to Metabolic Meals](https://marlerclark.com/salmonella-outbreak-tied-to-metabolic-meals) [Kentucky Salmonella outbreak linked to Ramsey’s Diners and Missy’s Pies](https://marlerclark.com/kentucky-salmonella-outbreak-linked-to-ramseys-diners-and-missys-pies) [Salmonella Egg Outbreak sickens 63 in California](https://marlerclark.com/salmonella-egg-outbreak-sickens-63-in-california) [Cucumbers with Salmonella - Again](https://marlerclark.com/cucumbers-with-salmonella-again) [Aladdin Mediterranean Restaurant Linked to Salmonella Outbreak in San Diego - 89 Sick](https://marlerclark.com/aladdin-mediterranean-restaurant-linked-to-salmonella-outbreak-in-san-diego) [Italian Pastries tied to illnesses in the US and Canada](https://marlerclark.com/italian-pastries-tied-to-illnesses-in-the-us-and-canada) [Cucumbers sicken 100 in 23 States with Salmonella](https://marlerclark.com/cucumbers-sicken-68-in-19-states-with-salmonella) [Madre’s Oaxacan Restaurant linked to Salmonella Outbreak - 44 Sick](https://marlerclark.com/madres-oaxacan-restaurant-linked-to-salmonella-outbreak) [Salmonella Outbreak linked to Cucumbers sickens 551 in 31 States](https://marlerclark.com/salmonella-outbreak-linked-to-cucumbers-sickens-162-in-25-states) ### 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 ###### [Salmonella Food Poisoning](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/about-salmonella) What is Salmonella and how does it cause food poisoning? The term Salmonella refers to a specific group of gram-negative bacteria with the potential to cause gastrointestinal distress and other... ###### [The Incidence of Salmonella Infections](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/the-incidence-of-salmonella-infections) Typhoidal Salmonella Salmonella enterica serotypes Typhi, Sendai, and Paratyphi A, B, or C are found exclusively in humans. These serotypes, collectively referred to as typhoidal Salmonella, cause enteric fever (also... ###### [The Prevalence of Salmonella in Food and Elsewhere](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/the-prevalence-of-salmonella-in-food-and-elsewhere) Most Salmonella infections are caused by eating contaminated food. One study found that 87% of all confirmed cases of Salmonella are foodborne. Foods of animal origin, including meat, poultry, eggs... ###### [Transmission of Salmonella Bacteria](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/transmission-of-salmonella-bacteria) In the past two decades, consumption of produce, especially sprouts, tomatoes, fruits, leafy greens, nuts, and nut butters, has been associated with Salmonella illnesses. The surface of fruits and vegetables... ###### [Symptoms of Salmonella Infection](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/salmonella-symptoms-risks) Symptoms of Salmonella infection include painful abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and fever. Salmonella infections can have a broad range of illness, from no symptoms to severe illness. The most common clinical... ##### 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)