A 34-year-old man from Greeley, Colorado has filed a lawsuit against McDonald’s after falling seriously ill from E. coli poisoning following a meal at the fast-food chain. Eric Stelly is seeking damages of over $50,000 for economic losses due to his illness. The outbreak has also led to one death in Mesa County, although the victim’s identity has not been released. Stelly purchased a hamburger from a McDonald’s in Greeley on October 4th and began experiencing symptoms shortly after. He was later diagnosed with E. coli O157:H7.
According to his attorney, Ron Simon, Stelly is still recovering from the illness and had to seek medical treatment at UCHealth in Greeley. The lawsuit alleges that McDonald’s was negligent in preparing and testing their products. The company has acknowledged that the outbreak may be linked to slivered onions used in Quarter Pounder hamburgers sourced from a single supplier.
Colorado has reported 26 cases of E. coli poisoning, with the majority in Mesa County. It is believed that the contaminated ingredient may have been sold in Colorado, resulting in more cases in the state. The lawsuit was filed in Cook County, Illinois, where McDonald’s Corporate headquarters is located. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that many cases of E. coli poisoning go unreported. Sage Kelley from the Denver Gazette contributed to the story.
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