Marler Clark has filed 2 E. coli lawsuits against the Cleveland County Fair and Circle G Ranch, the petting zoo operator whose animals were determined to be the source of an E. coli outbreak at the 2012 Cleveland County Fair in North Carolina.
According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, by October 28, 2012, a total of 101 known E. coli O157:H7 cases had been associated with attendance at the Cleveland County Fair. Both state and local health department investigations showed that animal exposure was the likely source of E. coli at the fair. Approximately 106 people with E. coli infections were ultimately associated with the Celveland County Fair. A 2-year-old boy from Gastonia, NC died as a direct result of his E. coli infection. Other children spent weeks in the hospital, some in the ICU with hemolytic uremic syndrome, a complication of E. coli infection that can lead to kidney failure, central nervous system and death.
On November 9, 2012 the North Carolina state health authority declared the fair's petting zoo exhibit, which was operated by Circle G Ranch, the source of the E. coli outbreak. Runoff from drains during the fair was a likely cause of the spread of E. coli bacteria to other areas of the fairgrounds.
Marler Clark is waiving fees for representation of victims of the E. coli outbreak.