SEATTLE -- A lawsuit was filed today on behalf of a Mount Vernon woman who was infected with Shigella bacteria after eating at the Royal Fork Restaurant located at 2300 Freeway Drive in Mount Vernon on January 11, 2001. “According to the Washington State Department of Health, at least 11 people were infected with Shigella after eating at the Royal Fork the week of January 11, 2001,” said William Marler, attorney for the plaintiff. “Our client was hospitalized for three days, and three months later she still has not fully recovered,” added Marler. The Seattle law firm of Marler Clark, along with Mount Vernon attorney, Thomas Moser, represents the plaintiff in this action.
Shigellosis is caused by the shigella bacteria, and is more commonly known as dysentery. Most infected individuals develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps within days of exposure. Other symptoms include vomiting, blood, pus, or mucus in stools, and painful rectal spasms. A Shigellosis infection usually resolves in 5 to 7 days. However, in some persons, especially young children and the elderly, the diarrhea can be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. The CDC estimates 300,000 cases of shigellosis occur annually in the United States.
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Marler Clark has extensive experience representing victims of various food-borne 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 $12 million for five families whose children developed HUS after being severely injured upon consuming contaminated apple juice. Marler Clark is currently lead counsel in actions related to E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, and hepatitis outbreaks in several states. Most recently, Marler Clark secured a $4.75 million jury verdict against the Finley School District in Eastern Washington after several children were infected with E. coli O157:H7 from contaminated beef served to them in a school lunch. This was the first E. coli case in the county to go to the jury.
For more information about Shigella, visit www.about-shigella.com.
More about the Royal Fork Shigella outbreak can be found in the Case News area of this site.