Simon
The first Texas lawsuit over salmonella poisoning from infected eggs has been filed by a Travis County woman.
The Houston-based law firm Simon & Luke announced in a press release that it filed the suit Wednesday in Travis County on behalf of Austin resident Amanda Sanchez. The suit names as defendants the egg producers, Wright County Egg and Hilldandale Farms, as well as the Texas-based Mexican restaurant that allegedly served Sanchez the tainted eggs, Taco Cabana.
Sanchez was hospitalized for four days after eating at Taco Cabana on June 26. According to the lawsuit, she became ill two days later with abdominal pain, fever, diarrhea and vomiting and went to Seton Hospital Northwest in Austin. She was admitted and remained hospitalized for four days.
Her medical expenses total more than $25,000, the lawsuit claims.
After her discharge on July 1, Sanchez was informed by the Travis County Health Department that she had tested positive for salmonella.
However testing has not been completed to confirm that Sanchez's illness was caused by any of the 550 million recalled eggs.
Attorney Ron Simon said the two egg producers named as defendants in the suit have "a history of problems in their plants," and failed to test their products for salmonella "before shipping it out the door."
"We will make sure these companies are brought to justice and that others do not suffer the same fate," Simon said.
Simon told the Austin American Statesman that he plans to file "close to 50" lawsuits relating to the salmonella outbreak.
More than 1,300 people are believed to have been sickened by salmonella-tainted eggs since May.