Proposed class action lawsuit targets McDonald’s over E. coli outbreak

Earlier this week, a proposed class action lawsuit was filed against McDonald’s over an E. coli outbreak linked to Quarter Pounders.

NBC News reports that the complaint seeks damages for customers who purchased the burgers and claims the chain failed to “properly disclose that there was a risk of E. coli associated with the menu items.”

The complaint requires court certification to proceed as a class action lawsuit.

Reuters reports that the lawsuit, filed in Chicago federal court, seeks unspecified damages of more than $5 million for all people who purchased the contaminated sandwiches.

Earlier this month, dozens of people in about 13 states, mostly in the Southwest and Midwest, fell ill and at least one person died as part of the outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the source of the contamination was linked to raw sliced ​​onions on the burgers.

According to NBC, Roy Willey, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, said: “McDonald’s has a responsibility to source its products in a way that allows it to serve other people from safe facilities. If they can’t guarantee that, they have a responsibility to warn, “This product may be dangerous.”

He added that consumers would not pay for the burgers if they knew they were contaminated.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Amanda McCray of Chicago and William Michael Kraft of Davie, Florida, who purchased the burgers and experienced symptoms related to an E. coli infection, according to NBC.

Several consumers have filed separate lawsuits against McDonald’s over claims they became ill. According to reports, McDonald’s did not respond to a request for comment.

McDonald’s resumed sales of the burger after removing the menu item from approximately 900 locations. The onions come from the Taylor Farms plant in Colorado Springs.