The Centers for Disease Control estimates that seventy-six million illnesses and five thousand deaths occur each year from food-borne illnesses.

Bonner Kiernan represents a variety of clients in the food industry. Food retailers, distributors, processors and manufacturers are often faced with claims and litigation arising from allegations involving food-borne illnesses, food allergies, foreign objects and product tampering. Other claims, such as allegations of excessive beverage temperatures, discrimination, failure to train or supervise employees and customer security are all increasingly commonplace.

Claims based upon allegations of illness contracted from a food-borne disease can be and often are devastating to a business, regardless of size. Bonner Kiernan has significant experience and expertise representing companies in the defense of food-related claims and litigation. We have participated in the development of claims and litigation protocols for cases across the United States and we have extensive experience in brand protection in these types of cases.  We have been retained as lead litigation, consulting or monitoring counsel on food-related matters across the country, as well as in Canada, Puerto Rico, and Argentina.  These cases have involved various food borne pathogens including: Salmonella, Hepatitis, and E.coli O157:H7 to name a few.

Bonner Kiernan is currently lead litigation counsel in numerous food borne illness related matters including:

• Lawsuit involving allegations of E.coli O157:H7 against a national restaurant chain in Omaha, Nebraska;
• State and Federal Court actions in various states against a national restaurant chain involving natural flavors, food allergens and celiac disease;
• Lawsuit in Maryland against a Tex-Mex national restaurant chain involving allegations of food allergens;
• E.coli O157:H7 outbreak at Taco Bell restaurants in the Northeast United States;
• Lawsuit in New York City involving allegations of E.coli O157:H7;
• Lawsuit in New Jersey involving allegations of mercury contamination in Tuna;
• Lawsuit in Virginia against a national Mexican restaurant involving allegations of Salmonella.