One of the 35 people sickened in the recent E. coli outbreak is suing Panera Bread for serving her lettuce allegedly contaminated with the bacteria.
The 66-year-old plaintiff, Louise Fraser of New Jersey, is the first victim of the 11-state outbreak to file a lawsuit. She is being represented in the action by Bill Marler, one of the nation’s most prominent food safety litigators.
Also named as a defendant in the suit is Freshway Foods, a lettuce supplier.
Fraser was hospitalized with kidney failure, one of the more serious ailments known to be caused by E. coli, five days after eating a salad from Panera Bread. She dined at a unit on March 20, and was hospitalized on March 25, where she remained until April 5.
A statement issued by Marler’s law practice, Marler Clark, says that Fraser is still recovering.
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