• AREAS OF PRACTICE

• ANTITRUST
• CONSUMER FRAUD
• PRODUCT LIABILITY
• PERSONAL INJURY
• MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
• NURSING HOME ABUSE

• ABOUT SSEM

• CURRENT INVESTIGATIONS
• OUR ATTORNEYS
• CONTACT US
• LINKS

The Associated Press (5/26, Thomas) reported that NHTSA said that 89 deaths in the past ten years can be attributed to “unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles,” adding that NHTSA said that ”from 2000 to mid-May, it had received more than 6,200 complaints involving sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles. The reports involve 89 deaths and 57 injuries over the same period. Previously, 52 deaths were blamed on the problem.”

The Los Angeles Times (5/21, Puzzanghera) reported that, at the hearing into the cause of Toyota’s sudden acceleration crisis, House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman said that Toyota “still had not done the testing required to determine the cause. . . ” Waxman further stated that his “panel’s investigation had raised serious questions about the scope of Toyota’s efforts to locate an electronic fault.”

The Associated Press (5/19) reported that Toyota paid a $16.4 million fine for its sluggish response to its gas pedal recall crisis, although no official announcement has been made.  House lawmakers plan to hold a hearing Thursday to examine the company’s review of report of sudden unintended acceleration and whether electronic issues caused the safety problems.  NHTSA Administrator David Strickland and Toyota’s USA Sales Chief Jim Lentz are scheduled to testify.

The Washington Post (5/18, Layton) reported that an outbreak of E. coli illness involving romaine lettuce cut up and distributed in bags is the latest in a string of recent food poisoning cases involving pre-shredded leafy greens.  According to the CDC, since March 1, 2010, 23 people in four states have been sickened.  The romaine lettuce was contaminated with E. coli O145, a strain primarily found in cattle and wildlife feces.

May 6, 2010:  Freshway Foods announced a voluntary recall of products containing romaine lettuce with a use-by date of May 12 or earlier because they may be contaminated with potentially deadly bacteria linked to an outbreak of E. coli 0145 in Michigan, Ohio and New York.

The FDA noted that 19 confirmed cases of the illness have been reported, including 12 people who have been hospitalized.  Three of those individuals may have the potentially life-threatening complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).  HUS causes alterations in the body’s blood clotting mechanisms, resulting in blocked circulation or bleeding in the brain or kidneys. 

E. coli 0145 can cause abdominal cramps and diarrhea.  Most healthy adults should recover in a week, but young children and elderly are most at risk for developing HUS.  Federal health authorities advise that anyone with such symptoms should contact a healthcare provider immediately.

Freshway Foods (based in Ohio) issued a news release indicating that the recalled shredded romaine lettus was sold in Alabama, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Caroline, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

E. coli Poisoning Symptoms:

Symptoms typically begin about seven days after the bacteria is ingested.  Symptoms begin to appear in the following order:

1. Abdominal Cramping
2. Bloody Diarrhea
3. Watery Diarrhea
4. Fever, nausea and vomiting

If you believe that you have eaten contaminated Freshway Foods romaine lettuce, you should immediately seek medical care and be sure to follow through with all treatment. 

If you would like to consult with one of our experienced attorneys, please complete the short form below or call us at 1-800-642-5297 for a free, confidential consultation.