Botulism Lawsuit

Botulism outbreaks linked to commercially canned foods are rare, but they can cause paralysis or even death.

What You Can Do & How We Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Botulism induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with Botulism after eating a recalled food, 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.

Examples of Botulism Recalls

Botulism Outbreak Linked to Hot Dog Chili Sauce

In July 2007, health officials in Indiana, Texas, and Ohio reported an outbreak of botulism. At least 8 people were infected with botulism after eating Castleberry’s Hot Dog Chili Sauce that was commercially-produced.

What is Botulism?

Botulism is a life-threatening illness that is caused by toxins from the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which occurs naturally in the soil. These toxins attack the body’s nerves. Infections can cause paralysis, difficulty breathing, or death.

Signs & Symptoms of Botulism

The symptoms of botulism usually start in the head and go down the body. They typically start with muscle weakness in the face, eyes, or throat. The weakness may spread down to the torso, lungs, or legs.

Early Warning Signs of Botulism

The early warning signs of botulism may include:

Double and blurred vision
Drooping eyelids
Slurred speech
Dry mouth
Difficulty swallowing
Weak muscles
Trouble breathing
Nausea
Vomiting
Abdominal pain

How Do You Get Botulism From Food?

Home-canned vegetables or pickled foods are the most common source of botulism in the U.S., but even store-bought products can carry the botulinum toxin if they are not processed correctly.

Low-acid foods that are improperly canned, preserved, or fermented are the most common source of botulism. This includes all vegetables, some tomatoes, figs, all meats, fish, and seafood.

There have also been reports of botulism contamination in chopped garlic in oil (or homemade oils infused with garlic or herbs), canned cheese sauce, carrot juice, and baked potatoes wrapped in tin foil.

How Can You Tell if Food Has Botulism?

Tasting even a small sip of food that contains the botulism toxin can be deadly — but there is no way to see, smell, or taste the toxin. You should suspect that a food is unsafe and throw it out if:

The container spurts liquid or foam when you open it
The food inside is discolored, moldy, or smells bad
The container is leaking, bulging, or swollen
The container looks damaged, cracked, or abnormal

Do I have a Botulism Lawsuit?

Attention Lawyers: We consider a referral from another law firm to be one of the greatest compliments. If your firm is interested in referring us a case or for us to send you a list of previous award judgments and/or average referral fees, please visit the Lawyer Referral section of our website.