PORTLAND, OREGON – The Salmonella attorneys at Marler Clark filed a lawsuit today on behalf of a Portland man who contracted a Salmonella infection after consuming sushi contaminated with Salmonella serotype Bareilly. The defendant of the lawsuit is Marine Moon USA, the producer of a recalled tuna product that has been linked to a recent multistate Salmonella outbreak by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC has confirmed that at least 258 Salmonella illnesses, including 32 hospitalizations, have been linked to a multi-strain Salmonella outbreak associated with Nakaochi Scrape. The product, also known as tuna scrape, is ground tuna meat scraped from the backbone and ribs of tuna and used in various sushi dishes, chiefly spicy tuna rolls.
According to a complaint (#cv-00794) filed in Oregon Federal District Court, Chris Fronzak, lead singer for the heavy metal band Attila, consumed a spicy tuna roll containing Nakaochi Scrape at a Metairie, Louisiana restaurant while his band was on tour. Within two days, Mr. Fronzak began to experience severe gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever, headache, and muscle aches. After six days of attempting self-care without any improvement, Mr. Fronzak, who was without health insurance, was taken to the emergency room for treatment. While in the ER, a sample was taken that would ultimately test positive for Salmonella. The complaint alleges Mr. Fronzak suffered physically, emotionally, and economically.
“Mr. Fronzak’s favorite food was sushi and he has eaten frequently for years without issue. When he sat down to eat a tuna roll, he was expecting to enjoy a few bites of comfort food while on the road with his band,” said Fronzak’s attorney William Marler. “What he did not expect was to become dangerously ill – taking on heavy financial strain and jeopardizing both his health and his tour.”
Marler has represented victims of every significant Salmonella outbreak in the last 20 years, including several people who developed reactive arthritis after their initial Salmonella infections. Marler Clark has brought notable Salmonella lawsuits against restaurants such as Jimmy John’s, Chili’s, and Taco Bell. The law firm has represented thousands of victims of Salmonella outbreaks, including those linked to peanut butter, sprouts, and eggs.
BACKGROUND: Marler Clark is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of foodborne illnesses, including Salmonella. The firm’s lawyers have been litigating foodborne illness cases since the 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak, and have obtained over $600,000,000 in settlements and verdicts for victims of Salmonella, E. coli, and other outbreaks. For more information, or if you are a member of the media and would like a copy of the complaint, please contact Cody Moore at (206) 407-2200 or cmoore@marlerclark.com.