CLARKSTON, WA — A lawsuit was filed today against Choice Hotels International, Inc. and Clarkston Development Group, L.P., owners of the Quality Inn & Suites Conference Center and the “Bogey’s” restaurant located at 700 Port Drive in Clarkston. The plaintiff, Ken Goods of Clarkston, who became ill with a Salmonella infection after dining at the Bogey’s restaurant on March 6, is represented by Marler Clark, the Seattle attorneys nationally known for their successful representation of foodborne illness victims.
The lawsuit alleges that Mr. Goods became ill on March 8, two days after eating at Bogey’s. It states that he experienced intense stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting over the next few days, and was unable to continue his normal work schedule. On March 14, six days after he began showing symptoms of Salmonella infection, Mr. Goods began having bloody diarrhea, and his family physician prescribed antibiotics. The North Central District Health Department in Lewiston obtained a stool sample from Mr. Good that tested positive for Salmonella.
“We filed the lawsuit based on the Washington Product Liability Act, which states that the defendants owed a duty to Mr. Goods to manufacture a product that was unadulterated and fit for human consumption. The food Mr. Goods and other consumers ate was clearly adulterated,” said William Marler of Marler Clark. “We feel certain that my client’s illness could have been prevented if the restaurant had taken proper precautions during food preparation.”
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BACKGROUND: Marler Clark has extensive experience representing victims of foodborne illnesses. William Marler represented Brianne Kiner in her $15.6 million settlement with Jack in the Box in 1993. In 1998, Marler Clark resolved the Odwalla Juice E. coli outbreak for five families whose children developed HUS and were severely injured after consuming contaminated apple juice for $12 million. Since 1993 Marler Clark has successfully resolved well over a thousand food-borne illness matters. Total recoveries exceed $75 million. Marler Clark is currently lead counsel in actions resulting from salmonella outbreaks in Washington, Oregon, California, North Carolina, Michigan and New York.
For more information on salmonella, visit the Marler Clark sponsored Web sites about Salmonella, and about foodborne illness.
More about the Bogey's Restaurant Salmonella outbreak can be found in the Case News area of this site.