--- title: E. coli Lettuce Suit Filed Against Dole date: 2005-10-14T00:17:00-07:00 author: admin canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/news_events/e-coli-lettuce-suite-filed-against-dole" section: News --- [All News](/news_events) / [Outbreaks](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/outbreaks) / # E. coli Lettuce Suit Filed Against Dole MINNEAPOLIS, MN – The Dole Company, Inc., whose ready-to-eat salads have recently been linked to a large E. coli outbreak and multiple hospitalizations, was named as defendant in a lawsuit filed today by Leonard and Carol Tvedten of Fairmont, Minnesota. William Marler, the nationally-known attorney who has represented victims of large E. coli outbreaks for more than a decade, is the Tvedten’s attorney. Marler’s firm, called Marler Clark, is located in Seattle and has represented Minnesota residents in past outbreaks, including the 2000 SuperValu E. coli outbreak. Jardine, Logan, and O’Brien, a respected Minneapolis law firm, also represents the Tvedten’s. Carol Tvedten fell ill with gastrointestinal symptoms in mid-September after eating Dole brand salad—the pre-washed variety—at home with her husband. Leonard Tvedten also fell ill, but did not require hospitalization. Mrs. Tvedten was admitted at Fairmont Medical Center-Mayo Health System on September 28, where she would remain for over a week. Ultimately, tests confirmed that the strain of E. coli that had infected Carole Tvedten was precisely the same as the strain that health officials cultured from Dole lettuce samples. The first nationwide health alert to warn the public of the Dole lettuce outbreak was issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on October 2, 2005. The alert stated that certain pre-packaged Dole salad products—Classic Romaine, American Blend, and Greener Selection—“have been associated with an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in Minnesota.” The FDA has since reported that as many as 245,000 bags of Dole lettuce may have been contaminated with the lethal bacteria. E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks associated with lettuce or spinach, specifically the “pre-washed” and “ready-to-eat” varieties sold under various brand and trade names, are by no means a new phenomenon. In October 2003, 13 residents of a California retirement center were sickened and 2 died after eating E. coli-contaminated “pre-washed” spinach. In September 2003, nearly 40 patrons of a California restaurant chain became ill after eating salads prepared with bagged, “pre-washed” lettuce. In July 2002, over 50 young women were stricken with E. coli at a dance camp after eating “pre-washed” lettuce, leaving several hospitalized, and 1 with life-long kidney damage. The Center for Science in the Public Interest found that of 225 food-poisoning outbreaks from 1990 to 1998, nearly 20 percent (55 outbreaks) were linked to fresh fruits, vegetables or salads. \### Marler Clark has represented thousands of victims of food borne illness since 1993. The firm is currently litigating food borne illness cases involving E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Listeria, Campylobacter and Hepatitis A. More about the [Dole lettuce E. coli outbreak](http://www.marlerclark.com/case_news/view/dole-lettuce-e-coli-outbreak-minnesota-wisconsin-and-oregon "Dole lettuce E. coli outbreak") can be found in the Case News area of this site. ### Other E. coli Lawsuits [Raw Farms linked to another Raw Milk Cheese E.coli Outbreak - 9 People sickened - Company refuses to recall product](https://marlerclark.com/raw-farms-linked-to-another-raw-milk-cheese-e-coli-outbreak-7-people-sickened) [10 with E. coli linked to Cheese](https://marlerclark.com/3-with-e-coli-linked-to-cheese) [Sycamore Pool in Chico California Contaminated with E.coli - Two teens in ICU](https://marlerclark.com/sycamore-pool-in-chico-california-contaminated-with-e-coli-two-teens-in-icu) [Deadly Nationwide E.coli Outbreak Linked to Grimmway Farms Organic Baby and Whole Carrots sickens 48](https://marlerclark.com/nationwide-e-coli-outbreak-linked-to-grimmway-farms-organic-baby-and-whole-carrots) [E. coli Outbreak tied to Red Cow and 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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 ###### [E. coli Food Poisoning](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-food-poisoning) What is E. coli and how does it cause food poisoning? Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a highly studied, common species of bacteria that belongs to the family Enterobacteriaceae, so... ###### [E. coli O157:H7](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-o157h7) E. coli O157:H7 is a foodborne pathogen that causes food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 is the most commonly identified and the most notorious Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serotype in... ###### [Non-O157 STEC](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/non-o157-stec) Non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli can also cause food poisoning. 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