Minnesota family files E. coli lawsuit against Taco John's
(AP) - An Albert Lea woman and her son are the latest to file a lawsuit against Taco John's after they became ill from food tainted with E. coli.
The lawsuit was the first of its kind in Minnesota. At least 33 state residents became ill in November and December after eating at Taco John's restaurants.
Seattle-based attorney William D. Marler has filed two other lawsuits in Iowa.
The E. coli outbreak last year sickened about 81 people who had eaten at Taco John's restaurants in Minnesota and Iowa in November and December. Among those sickened, 26 were hospitalized. There were no deaths.
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Health officials have said contaminated California-grown lettuce was the possible source of the E. coli.
A Taco John's spokesman says he could not comment on the lawsuit since the company had not been formally served with it.
He says the company's focus at the moment is trying to determine exactly how its customers were sickened.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
