E. coli lawsuit
January, 2010
Stephanie Smith, 22, from Cold Spring, Minnesota, who fell severely ill after eating an E. coli tainted hamburger produced by a Cargill division, is now suing a division of agri-business Cargill Inc. for $100-million.
Apparently, her E. coli infection led to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a complication that causes kidney failure, with seizures coming so regularly, doctors were forced to put her into a drug-induced coma for 3-months to limit damage to her brain. Emerging from the coma, Smith found she had lost the use of her legs, her bowel and bladder.
A children's dance instructor by profession, Smith has spent the last two years in rehabilitation, and continues to remain wheelchair bound.
Earlier this year, a New York Times story traced the beef trimmings that were a part of her burger patty to four plants in two countries, and high-lighted how the modern meat-packing industry operates.
The lawsuit names Cargill Meat Solutions Corp., based in Wichita, Kan. as a respondent to the suit filed, after settlement talks between Cargill, Cargill insurance carrier AIG and Smith's attorneys collapsed, recently.
Some of Smith's medical bills totaling to over $2-million and likely to add up to tens of millions of dollars, have been paid by Minnetonka, Minn.-based Cargill. However, Smith it is predicted will need multiple kidney transplants and likely to remain wheelchair-bound. |
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