Source:  Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 12/7/09

Foodborne illness attorney Bill Marler said he filed a $100 million lawsuit against Cargill on behalf of 22-year–old former dance instructor Stephanie Smith. Two years ago, she was left paralyzed by complications that followed eating a hamburger tainted by E. coli O157:H7 that was traced back to Cargill.

Smith's ordeal was profiled in a New York Times article in October. "I have handled foodborne illness cases since the Jack in the Box outbreak nearly 17 years ago, and I have never seen someone sickened this severely and survive," Marler wrote on his Web site. He said Smith "attempted mediation with the company, but was unable to come to a fair agreement with them."

He characterized Smith's medical bills as already more than $2 million and predicted those costs ultimately would add up to tens of millions of dollars.

"Cargill deeply regrets Ms. Smith's continuing suffering due to her illness," Cargill spokesman Mark Klein told Meatingplace in an email. "Each time Ms. Smith's family has asked for financial assistance to cover out-of-pocket and rehabilitation costs, Cargill has advanced funds to help her and her family. We will continue to provide assistance to maximize her recovery and will continue to work with her counsel to reach a fair resolution."

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