On July 23rd, Pepperidge Farm issued a recall for several of its Goldfish crackers after the company suspected certain varieties of the crackers contained salmonella. While many individuals were able to discard or return the potentially contaminated snack, some already consumed them prior to the recall being announced. And while not everyone fell ill after eating them, there were a few cases where individuals contracted salmonella and wound up becoming extremely sick.
Bailey Finch, who lives in Mississippi, one was one of those individuals. The Sun Herald said that after she ate some Goldfish crackers on July 19th, she was unaware that the snack may have been contaminated. While she was fine the first few days after, the fourth day is when the illness struck. Finch became rather sick and found herself in the hospital, suffering from salmonella. The Mississippi mom spent several days in the hospital and nearly “lost her life.”
Now, if you weren’t aware, salmonella generally lasts anywhere from four to seven days and a person usually recovers without treatment. However, there are some cases that are much more severe that require a person to be hospitalized. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “salmonella causes about 1.2 million illnesses, 23,000 hospitalizations, and 450 deaths in the U.S. every year.”
After Finch learned of the recall and made the connection between her illness and the crackers she had consumed, she decided to contact a MS personal injury attorney. And that is how her lawsuit against Pepperidge came about. Finch and her lawyer decided to sue the company after they “failed in their duty to ensure that the food they produce is safe to eat.” The news outlet reported that this may be the first lawsuit to be filed in connection with the Goldfish cracker recall, despite the fact that millions of packages had already been purchased prior to it being announced.
Finch’s lawsuit seeks damages for medical expenses, mental and physical pain, emotional distress, lost wages, and future medical expenses, according to the news outlet.
One of the reasons why victims of contaminated foods choose to file suit is because the illness they contracted has led to them to suffering both physically and financially. Aside from the pain they are forced to be in, spending a few days in the hospital is sure to rack up a few thousand dollars. Aside from that, the victim is likely to miss work like Finch which impacts how much revenue they are able to bring in for their family. So, when a contaminated food leads to a severe case like Finch’s, sometimes, suing is the right thing to do if you want to recover the compensation necessary to cover the expenses you incurred along with the physical suffering you had to endure.
So, if you recently became sick from a food in Jackson, MS you didn’t know was contaminated and would like to learn more about filing a personal injury lawsuit against the company responsible for manufacturing the food, contact Jackson, MS personal injury attorney William E. Ballard. Now only can our firm help you determine if you have a valid case on your hands but also provide you with the legal representation you will need to successfully file suit against the responsible party.
Ballard Law, PLLC. can be reached at:
108 S. President Street
Jackson, MS 39201
769-572-5111
