Pizza Recall Injuries Extend Beyond Poisoning

San Diego, CAFor some people, the recent General Mills Pizza recall was nothing out of the ordinary. They may have felt a little ill and not even realized that they were sickened by eating E. coli contaminated pizza. For others, however, the E. coli outbreak was a lot more serious. Some people were hospitalized because their symptoms were so severe and at least a few patients have developed a more serious kidney problem after being exposed to E. coli.

Many people who were hospitalized now face medical bills that they have to pay, not to mention loss of wages because they were too sick to work. Some were hospitalized for a few days while their illness went away. Others required many days off work, either to recover from their own illness or to look after children or elderly parents who became ill. Either way, they lost wages because their family members ate contaminated pizza toppings.

One angry General Mills customer wrote to LawyersandSettlements to report that both he and his son were taken to the emergency room because of severe vomiting and diarrhea. It was only later that they realized they had eaten the recalled pizzas before they became sick. He notes that he missed four days of work because he was so sick and now has to pay a $3,000 emergency room bill. So far, no one from General Mills has returned any of his phone calls.

Although healthy adults may survive an E. coli outbreak with few problems, people with weakened or developing immune systems can die after exposure to E. coli. In fact, it is believed that a 20-month-old recently died from E. coli poisoning after eating a contaminated hamburger. Other children can develop serious, lifelong problems as a result of food poisoning.

The [Centers for Disease Control report that four victims of the recent pizza E. coli outbreak developed Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), an illness that often follows E. coli poisoning. HUS can lead to anemia, blood clots, kidney damage and kidney failure. In rare cases, HUS can cause seizures. Patients who survive HUS can still suffer from permanent kidney damage.

After so many contaminated food recalls, the USDA has come under fire for its failure to prevent food contamination or make recalls public more quickly. Compounding the situation is a little-known loophole that allows companies to cook and sell meat, even after E. coli is found on that meat. The meat must be put in a special category, known as "cook only," making it usable in precooked hamburgers, tacos and other products. By putting such meat in a "cook online" category, the company does not have to notify the USDA that food with E. coli was found in their plant.

Many companies that recall their products offer a refund for people who have purchased the contaminated food. However, this is not nearly enough to cover the medical costs and lost wages, not to mention the agony and physical pain that can accompany a bout of food poisoning.