Marler Clark Files 12th Romaine E. coli Lawsuit on Behalf of Colorado Resident

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Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm

Sep 19, 2018, 12:56 ET

FORT COLLINS, Colo., Sept. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The 12^th lawsuit stemming from the Romaine E. coli O157:H7 outbreak was filed yesterday against Dillon Companies and King Soopers on behalf of William Glasier, a Fort Collins resident. Mr. Glasier is represented by Marler Clark, The Nation's Food Safety Law Firm, and Overturf, McGarth, and Hullk, PC, a local firm. The Case No. is 2018CV30883.

During the week leading up to April 9, 2018, Mr. Glasier and his wife Kristin Stuntz purchased whole-head romaine lettuce from the King Soopers located at 1842 N. College Ave, Fort Collins, CO. Mr. Glasier consumed the lettuce several times over the next week.

On April 10, Mr. Glasier began experiencing symptoms of severe diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. He spent the majority of his time in bed, unable to eat. On April 14, his wife called an ambulance because he was too weak to get off of the toilet. When medical personnel arrived, Mr. Glasier was so confused and disoriented that he was uncooperative with the medics attempting to help him.

Mr. Glasier was taken to Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins. Medical professionals performed blood tests, diagnosing sepsis, severe dehydration, and kidney failure. He was admitted to the hospital for further care and was ultimately diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

On his first night in the hospital, Mr. Glasier had a seizure and his heart stopped. Fortunately, doctors were able to resuscitate him. That night he was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where he was sedated and placed on mechanical ventilation. Doctors began dialysis treatment. He remained sedated because he continued to be uncooperative when awake due to his confusion.

On April 18, Mr. Glasier's stool sample tested positive for E. coli O157:H7 which was linked to the other 209 victims in the United States and 8 in Canada by the CDC and Canadian public health authorities.

Five days later, doctors were forced to perform a tracheostomy on Mr. Glasier and insert a throat tube to replace the breathing tube placed on the day of his admission. The next day he had a second seizure.

Mr. Glasier's bloodwork began to improve, although he remained critically ill. On May 3, he underwent surgery to place a feeding tube in his stomach through his abdominal wall. The next day, he was transferred out of the ICU.

Mr. Glasier began rehabilitative treatments allowing him to eat solid food, sit upright, and eventually stand and walk. On May 10, he moved to Kindred Health at Porter Hospital in Denver, where he continued dialysis and rehabilitation. On May 24, he was discharged from the hospital. He had been hospitalized for 41 days.

Mr. Glasier continues to recover from his E. coli O157:H7 illness.

"Despite the FDA refusing to provide information to the public where the tainted romaine was specifically grown, processed and sold, we continue to uncover those facts though the civil justice system," said Bill Marler, Marler Clark managing partner.

Marler Clark currently represents 87 people affected in the outbreak and has filed 11 previous lawsuits associated with the outbreak.

Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation's leading law firm representing victims of E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli O157:H7 lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli O157:H7 and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $650 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our E. coli O157:H7 lawyers have litigated E. coli O157:H7 and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products. The law firm has brought E. coli O157:H7 lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John's. We have proudly represented such E. coli O157:H7 victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.