June 5, 2013 — Two lawsuits have been filed for people who were injured or required vaccinations after a Hepatitis A outbreak was linked to Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant Blend, a frozen berry mix sold by Costco and Harris Teeter stores. One of the lawsuits is a personal injury claim filed by a woman in San Diego who was infected. The other lawsuit is a class action seeking to represent everyone who required prophylactic treatment. The CDC is recommending Hepatitis A vaccinations and/or immune globulin injections for all people who ate the potentially contaminated product.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there are 49 confirmed cases of Hepatitis A, including 11 hospitalizations, associated with the Townsend Farms frozen berry mix. The outbreak has spread to include two cases in Hawaii, in addition to cases in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced an official recall and Costco is in the process of notifying customers who purchased the product.
The woman who filed the lawsuit in San Diego is 51 year-old Lynda Brackenridge of Lakewood, California. She developed the first symptoms of hepatitis A on May 22, and over the next few days her symptoms worsened to include fatigue, chills, decreased appetite, yellowing of her eyes (jaundice), muscle and joint pain, vomiting, and dark-colored urine. She was admitted to Long Beach Memorial Hospital on May 31, where she was diagnosed with hepatitis A.
The class action lawsuit is seeking compensation for economic and non-economic damages on behalf of all people who required vaccinations against Hepatitis A after eating the recalled product. These damages may include medical bills, out-of-pocket expenses, cost of future treatment, and more.
The Hepatitis A virus associated with the outbreak is genotype B1, which is rare in the United States but common in North Africa and the Middle East. Townsend Farms confirmed that the frozen fruit blend contained pomegranate seeds from Egypt, which have been linked to previous outbreaks in 2012 and early 2013. The virus is usually spread when an infected person does not wash their hands properly while preparing food.
Do I have a Food Poisoning Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant Blend induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been injured by hepatitis A, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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