E. Coli Lawsuit Seeks $100 Million

MINNEAPOLISStephanie Smith, a 22-year-old Minnesota dance instructor left paralyzed by a burger tainted with E. coli, filed a $100-million lawsuit against Cargill on Dec. 3. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Smiths guardian, William R. Sieben, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota by Bill Marler of the Seattle foodborne illness law firm Marler Clark, and by Jardine, Logan and OBrien of St. Paul.

After eating a hamburger produced by Cargill in September 2007, Smith became ill and was diagnosed with an E. coli infection. She rapidly deteriorated and was determined to have hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a complication of E. coli that causes kidney failure.