RADNOR, Pa., Oct. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The following statement was issued
today by the law firms Schiffrin Barroway Topaz & Kessler, LLP, and Janet,
Jenner & Suggs, LLC:
On October 3, 2007, SCHIFFRIN BARROWAY TOPAZ & KESSLER, LLP and JANET,
JENNER & SUGGS, LLC filed the first nationwide class action against TOPPS
MEAT COMPANY, LLC, WAL-MART STORES, INC., PATHMARK STORES, INC., WAKEFERN
FOODCORP. d/b/a SHOPRITE and RASTELLI FINE FOODS, LTD. in the United States
District Court for the Western District of New York on behalf of 1) all
consumers who purchased and consumed ground beef products contaminated with
E. coli O157:H7; and 2) all consumers who suffered personal injuries after
consuming ground beef products contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
"This Class Action was filed to protect the rights of all victims that
have been wronged by the carelessness of the manufacturer, suppliers and
distributors of the contaminated ground beef products. These defendant
corporations must be held accountable for not protecting basic food, health
and safety," said Tobias L. Millrood, partner with Schiffrin Barroway Topaz
& Kessler, LLP, in Radnor, Pennsylvania.
On September 29, 2007, Topps Meat Company, LLC, announced that it was
expanding its September 25, 2007 recall to include a total of 21.7 million
pounds of frozen ground beef products distributed to retail grocery stores
and food service institutions, including Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Pathmark
Stores, Inc., Wakefern Foodcorp. d/b/a Shoprite and Rastelli Fine Foods,
Ltd., throughout the United States. The recall now includes all products
produced by Topps with a "sell by date" or "best if used by date" that
falls between September 25, 2007 and September 25, 2008. All recalled
products have the USDA establishment number of EST 9748 located on the back
panel of the package and/or in the USDA legend. The expansion came one day
after the USDA suspended the grinding of raw products at the Topps plant in
Elizabeth, New Jersey after inspectors found inadequate safety measures.
According to the CDC, 25 people in eight states may have fallen ill
after eating hamburgers possibly contaminated with E. coli bacteria. Three
cases -- two in New York and one in Florida -- are confirmed as being
linked to the ground beef, with the other 22 cases possibly linked and
under investigation. Illnesses were reported in Connecticut, Florida,
Indiana, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania. The New Jersey
Health Department has stated that there are four suspected cases under
investigation.
The expanded recall now includes frozen ground beef products sold under
the brand names Butcher's Best 100% all beef patties; Kohler Foods flat
hamburger; Mike's seasoned beef patties; Pathmark 100% all beef burger;
Rastelli's Fine Foods 100% premium beef hamburger; Roma - Topps 100%
premium hamburger; Sam's Choice Backyard Gourmet Beef Burgers; Sand Castle
Fine Meat 100% premium beef hamburger; Sand Castle Fine Meat Angus Chuck
burger; Shop Rite 100% pure ground beef hamburgers; Shop Rite 100% pure
quarter pound ground beef hamburgers; TOPPS 100% premium hamburger; TOPPS
100% pure ground beef hamburgers; TOPPS sirloin steak burgers; and West
Side 100% premium hamburger.
An investigation into a cluster of illnesses in the Northeast region
carried out by the New York State Department of Health in coordination with
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention led to a positive product
sample collected by the New York Department of Health.
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody
diarrhea and dehydration. The very young, seniors and persons with
compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.
"Consumers should have an expectation that food products labeled 100%
PURE should be safe for human consumption and not be concerned that their
food is contaminated with a potentially lethal bacteria," said Robert K.
Jenner, partner with Janet, Jenner & Suggs, LLC in Baltimore, Maryland.
If you or anyone you know believes that you have contracted E. coli as
a result of consuming the recalled meat products and want to discuss your
rights, please contact either Schiffrin Barroway Topaz & Kessler, LLP
(Tobias L. Millrood, Esq. or Hal J. Kleinman, Esq.) toll free at
1-888-348-6787 or 1-610-822-0249 or via e-mail at masstortinfo@sbtklaw.com
or Janet, Jenner & Suggs, LLC (Robert K. Jenner, Esq. or Gerald D. Jowers,
Esq.) toll free at 1-888-463-3529 or 1-410-653-3200 or via e-mail at
rjenner@medlawlegalteam.com. The two law firms are working as a joint
venture on behalf of consumers nationwide who have been aggrieved by
contaminated meat from Topps Meat.
For more information about the law firms or about foodborne illnesses,
please visit http://www.ecoli-recall.com.
CONTACT: Schiffrin Barroway Topaz & Kessler, LLP
Tobias L. Millrood, Esq.
Hal J. Kleinman, Esq.
280 King of Prussia Road
Radnor, PA 19087
1-888-348-6787 (toll free) or 1-610-822-0249
Or by e-mail at masstortinfo@sbtklaw.com
Janet, Jenner & Suggs, LLC
Robert K. Jenner, Esq.
Gerald D. Jowers, Jr., Esq.
Woodholme Center
1829 Reisterstown Road, Suite 320
Baltimore, Maryland 21208
1-888-463-3529 (toll free) or 1-410-653-3200
Or by e-mail at rjenner@medlawlegalteam.com
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SOURCE Schiffrin Barroway Topaz & Kessler, LLP and Janet, Jenner
& Suggs,
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Related links:
http://www.sbtklaw.com
http://www.ecoli-recall.com
CONTACT:
Tobias L. Millrood, Esq., or Hal J. Kleinman,
Esq., both of Schiffrin Barroway Topaz & Kessler, LLP,
+1-888-348-6787 (toll free), +1-610-822-0249,
masstortinfo@sbtklaw.com; or Robert K. Jenner, Esq., or Gerald D.
Jowers, Jr., Esq., both of Janet, Jenner & Suggs, LLC,
+1-888-463-3529 (toll free), +1-410-653-3200,
rjenner@medlawlegalteam.com
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