E. coli Lawyer

If you or your child became seriously ill with E. coli, an attorney can help investigate whether contaminated food was responsible. Ron Simon & Associates represents people with E. coli food poisoning, including families dealing with kidney failure. You can ask for a free review even if you don’t know which food caused the illness or don’t yet have every test result.

What an E. coli diagnosis can tell you

Some E. coli strains produce Shiga toxin, which can damage the kidneys. These infections are called STEC. O157:H7 is one strain, but other STEC strains can also cause serious illness. A laboratory report can help identify the infection and connect it to other cases.

The most serious complication is hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a condition that affects the blood and kidneys. Young children are especially at risk. Some people recover fully, while others need ongoing kidney care. That difference matters when evaluating the medical needs and losses a claim should address.

Connecting the illness to contaminated food

A diagnosis alone doesn’t identify the responsible food or company. Our E. coli lawyers review the timing of your symptoms, what you ate, medical records and any public-health findings. Investigators may compare bacteria from different patients to find a common source. A recall can help, but it isn’t required for an initial case review and doesn’t prove that a product caused every reported illness.

Depending on the evidence and applicable law, responsibility may involve a grower, processor, distributor, restaurant or retailer. We investigate those connections so you don’t have to trace the supply chain yourself.

What to do while you’re getting care

Follow your healthcare team’s advice. CDC guidance on STEC treatment warns against antibiotics and anti-diarrheal medicines for STEC because they can increase the risk of HUS. Ask your clinician about testing and treatment rather than treating suspected E. coli on your own.

For a legal review, useful records include:

• Medical records, test results and treatment bills you already have
• Receipts, delivery orders or purchase histories
• Notes about meals, symptom dates and missed work
• Product and label photos, if they can be taken safely

Report suspected food poisoning to your health department. Follow the recall notice or health department’s instructions for any remaining food. Don’t eat suspected contaminated food or handle it just to collect evidence. Missing a receipt or package doesn’t prevent you from contacting us.

How kidney damage affects a claim

An E. coli lawsuit may seek compensation for treatment, lost income, pain and other losses allowed by law. When HUS causes lasting injury, the evaluation also needs to consider future dialysis, kidney monitoring or transplant-related care. Those needs depend on the person’s medical outlook, not a standard settlement amount.

Parents and caregivers can speak with our team while their child receives care. We’ll review what happened and explain whether further investigation may support a claim. Contacting us is not a commitment to file a lawsuit.

Our experience with E. coli lawsuits

Ron Simon & Associates filed the first lawsuit in the 2024 Grimmway Farms organic carrot outbreak and the first lawsuit against McDonald’s over the 2024 Quarter Pounder outbreak. Our outbreak work also includes multiple Chipotle outbreaks.

The firm focuses exclusively on foodborne illness litigation, with more than 55 years of combined experience. If you’re wondering whether you can sue for E. coli, ask us about your circumstances and the filing deadline that applies. The consultation is free, and you pay no fee unless we recover compensation for you.