Litigation Concerning Food Issues

Although lawsuits involving allegations of unsafe food have been around for well over 100 years, it was not until the 1993 Jack in the Box Escherichia coli outbreak that such litigation became both increasingly common and front-page news. Now, for example, whenever there is news of an outbreak linked to a recalled food product, or a restaurant identified as the source of an outbreak, news of a lawsuit being filed is not far behind. Indeed, the main attorneys primarily on both sides of the Jack in the Box litigation went on to start a law firm that represented victims of foodborne illness. As a result, civil—which is to say, noncriminal—litigation involving food has, in the past 20 years, become an important food issue to understand. ...