Author: Tony Coveny, Ph.D

Th3 2013 Iguana Joe’s Salmonella Braenderup outbreak has been dubbed the “Father’s Day Salmonella Outbreak” by local health officials.  All of the salmonella victims became ill following consumption of food at the Iguana Joe’s located at 18319 West Lake Houston Parkway North in Atascocita, Texas on Father’s Day weekend in 2013. National food safety law firm Ron Simon & Associates represents the vast majority of the victims in the outbreak. The outbreak gained a great deal of notoriety in June and July of 2013 due to extensive local media coverage of several of the victims’ salmonella illnesses.  Included among the…

During the week of March 31, 2013, the first of what would be at least 162 victims contracted Hepatitis A after eating Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berries purchased from local Costco stores. At Costco, the gourmet berry mix sold for about $10.00 per 3 lb bag, and was consumed by health-minded consumers who were often runners, bikers, Pilates and yoga instructors, and other people for whom health and fitness was a priority.  The packaging even had a special label with a heart in the center stating it was “Heart Healthy”. See label here. Over the next few months, more…

The 2011 Listeria litigation linked to contaminated Jensen Farms cantaloupe is now entering its third year. Melon Salmonella Lawyer Ron Simon & Associates was one of the first to file a lawsuit as a result of this deadly outbreak.  On October 3, 2011, the firm filed suit on behalf of Cheryle Ferda, a registered nurse. Cheryle, whose favorite fresh food was cantaloupe, had become ill in early September 2011, just as the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE) announced that it was investigating an outbreak of Listeriosis, possibly linked to cantaloupes.  Ironically, CDPHE was in the process…

The food safety law firm of Ron Simon & Associates continues to prosecute litigation against an array of defendants linked to the growing, harvesting, distribution, and selling of romaine lettuce contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 and sold at Schnucks Supermarkets. Ron Simon, one of the nation’s leading food poisoning lawyers, represents victims in both state and federal courts that were sickened after eating at salad bars at one of the Schnucks supermarkets located in either Missouri or Indiana, including those located at 15425 Manchester Road in Ballwin, Missouri, and 8301 Bell Road in Newburgh, Indiana. Every victim Mr. Simon represents…

Litigation surrounding the Pollos Asado El Regio #4 Memorial Day Salmonella Outbreak of 2012, in which three extended families acquired salmonella food poisoning after eating contaminated chicken prepared by the restaurant, is now entering its second year. Thirteen victims and their families retained Ron Simon to represent them after a number of young children, including 6 year old twins, were forced to seek medical attention at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas. Pollos Asados El Regio #4, located at 9510 Beechnut Street in Houston, served the contaminated chicken on Memorial Day (May 28, 2012). After receiving numerous reports of illness…

Throughout Illinois, the unlawful manufacture of a traditional white, moist cheese, which is popular in Mexico, has caused about three dozen consumers to be hospitalized and another six dozen to become ill.  All of the victims have been reported ill over the last two years.  The popular Queso Mexicano has been sold by traveling vendors, from lunch trucks, on street corners, and in places of employment, including factories where many of the workers are from Latin America.  So far, according to certain health department officials from the affected counties (which include Boone, Cook, DuPage, Fayette, Kane, Lake, LaSalle, Macon, Marion, McHenry, Vermillion,…

Thirteen counties in Illinois, including Cook, DuPage, Kane and McHenry counties, are at the center of a wide-spread outbreak of salmonella. According to health department officials, samples of the Mexican style cheese taken from at least one of the victim’s homes have tested positive for salmonella.  The investigation is still ongoing, but the Illinois Department of Health is asking victims to contact their county health officials if they become ill to enable health officials to better track and prevent the further spread of salmonella in this outbreak. Ron Simon, one of the nation’s leading salmonella lawyers, also encourages potential victims…

Harry’s Farmers Market has formally announced that it is recalling Wild Gulf Amberjack fillets, Wild Whole Amberjack, and Wild Gulf Amberjack portions following the report that five consumers were made ill after consuming the product.  The Wild Gulf Amberjack was sold through the first half of March from Harry’s Farmers Market located at 70 Powers Ferry Road SE in Marietta, Georgia.  Ironically, this recall is being initiated prior to the identification of the particular pathogen that is causing the illnesses in the hope of preventing a wider outbreak.  According to food poisoning lawyer Ron Simon, this is how an outbreak…

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees all non-meat foods except fish, over which the FDA retains jurisdiction.  Non-fish meat is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).  This is just an odd historical development that to many, including salmonella lawyer Ron Simon, appears antiquated.  Granted, under either the FDA or the FSIS, any food with E. coli O157 would immediately be recalled to protect the safety of the consumers, even though a meat producer could argue that E. coli dies if the meat is properly cooked…

Foster Farms, the Western United State’s primary producer of raw chicken, remains the center of one of the largest and longest salmonella investigations of chicken products linked to salmonella food poisoning in America.  There have already been seven different strains of salmonella linked to Foster Farms chicken by health officials, with at least 481 victims in over half of the United States.  And this only represents the tip of the iceberg, as NBC News’ Jonel Aleccia recently reported, with as many as 16,000 consumers infected by consuming Foster Farms’ chicken, most either not seeking medical attention or not being tested…