E. coli Lawsuit filed against Schnucks and Vaughn Foods

Another E. coli lawsuit will be filed today against grocery chain Schnucks Supermarkets and Oklahoma-based romaine lettuce distributor Vaughan Foods. According to a complaint filed in St. Louis County Circuit Court, 61-year old Charles Meyer ate romaine lettuce from a Cool Valley, Missouri Schnucks location on several occasions prior to October 24, 2011 when he began experiencing painful gastrointestinal symptoms indicative of an E. coli infection including bloody diarrhea. The symptoms persisted and Mr. Meyer visited the doctor’s office on October 26 where he was diagnosed with food poisoning and sent to the emergency room for treatment. While in the ER, Mr. Meyer gave a stool sample which ultimately tested positive for a strain of E. coli associated with an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to romaine lettuce sold at Schnucks supermarkets. He was then admitted to St. John’s Mercy Hospital where he was treated until discharged on October 30.