As the FDA and Attorney General are gearing up for the criminal investigation of Peanut Corporation of America, so are the nation's salmonella lawyers gearing up to assure that those who have suffered serious illness and those who have lost a loved one due to the peanut butter salmonella outbreak will receive just compensation.



While the newspapers have carried stories that a little over 500 have suffered serious illness and that 8 have died from peanut butter products, including crackers, cookies, energy bars and even ice cream contaminated by salmonella, our salmonella attorneys have stated that "this is only the tip of the iceberg" in terms of the true numbers of those suffering salmonellosis directly caused by the unsanitary conditions at the Peanut Corporation of America plant. The reason is in part because most cases will not be reported, either because the infected individual doesn't seek medical attention, or is inadequately diagnosed, or doesn't see a physician, or because the physician fails to report the case. For more current information with regard to CDC and FDA information with regard to current numbers and other updates, you may consult our

"salmonella lawyers web page" As our salmonella lawyers have discovered, while these initial numbers were being calculated in the early stages of the FDA and CDC response through the date of this reporting, the assumption was that the outbreak was limited to late 2008 and early 2009, when now it is disclosed that the contamination issues existed at the Peanut Corporation of America plant, with salmonella in the peanut butter paste, at least as early as 2007, with two years passing before the outbreak and source of the outbreak were identified.

"There is a salmonella problem at the plant," said Robert Tauxe, deputy director of the CDC's division of food-borne, bacterial and mycotic diseases. Federal investigators have said that PCA knowingly shipped its contaminated peanut butter. According to the information thus far discovered by our salmonella lawyers as of this still early date in the investigation, the PCA plant itself had identified Salmonella bacteria in its peanut butter paste at least a dozen times in 2007 and 2008. But it failed to correct the sanitation issues that resulted in the presence of the bacteria, and it continued to ship the product in interstate commerce. The plant also stored pallets of its peanut better next to raw supplies of peanuts despite that proper controls would have required the company to store its finished product at a distance from its raw material to avoid recontamination. "Open gaps observed" according to the federal investigation, including gaps as large as a half inch by two and one half feet long near air-conditioner intakes. Also found was rust residue that could flake into food, as well as gaps in the warehouse doors that were large enough for rodents to enter the plant. Given the most common and known sources of salmonella contamination, our salmonella food poisoning lawyers speculate that it is probable that rodent feces or possibly bird feces was responsible for the contamination leading to the outbreak. Salmonella is carried by animal feces, but foods can also become contaminated by infected food handlers who may not properly wash their hands after using the restroom.

In terms of the liability of PCA for the outbreak, our salmonella lawyers consider that there is already overwhelming evidence of the company's negligence, and it appears that there is good initial evidence that the company knowingly sold its contaminated peanut butter paste to a variety of companies without regard to the serious illness and death that was likely to occur, particularly to infants, young children, the elderly and the immune compromised. Our salmonella attorneys want to see the actual data, but early estimates are that children under 5 years of age account for between one fifth to one half of all those thus far identified as suffering from PCA outbreak serious salmonella illness.

In order to avoid providing inaccurate information, our salmonella lawyers have suggested that it is likely that PCA salmonella illness has probably occurred in every state of the United States between 2007 and 2009, but as of this early stage in the recognition of the outbreak, the FDA and CDC have identified cases in 40 states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Again, for more complete information as it is compiled by our salmonella food poisoning lawyers, please contact our "salmonella lawyers web page" As additional information is obtained from the FDA, CDC and from our own investigation, we will attempt to update our clients and readers, as well as other salmonella lawyers who may become involved in the litigation.