A Maricopa County man who remains hospitalized with an E. coli infection that sent him to an emergency room on July 31 has sued Federico’s Mexican Restaurant in Litchfield Park, AZ, which he believes to be the source of the illness. Brian Clayton is one of more than a dozen people sickened with E. coli infections who ate at the Litchfield Park restaurant during July. At least eight have required hospitalization.
Clayton is represented in the lawsuit by William Marler of Seattle-based Marler Clark, the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of foodborne illness, and Jonathan O’Steen of O’Steen and Harrison in Phoenix. Clayton ate food purchased at Federico’s on both July 27 and July 29. He began experiencing symptoms of E. coli infection on July 30 and sought medical attention the next day for abdominal cramps, dehydration and diarrhea. He was first treated and released on Aug. 1, but was later admitted to West Valley Hospital, where he remains. The Maricopa County Health Department said Aug. 2 that the Federico’s restaurant was closing for an E. coli outbreak investigation and that at least 11 of 15 individuals with bloody diarrhea had reported eating food purchased from the restaurant in the days before becoming ill. “Although we know that the source of the infections is Federico’s, we’re hopeful the health department will be able to determine the cause of the E. coli outbreak,” Marler said. “These outbreaks can be caused by any number of things: contaminated produce, cross-contamination or ill food workers are all viable possibilities.” Marler is also publisher of Food Safety News. Federico’s is expected to re-open.
