A Colorado man settled a lawsuit against McDonald’s related to an E. coli infection he developed after eating a burger with contaminated onions.
Eric Stelly alleged he got sick after eating at a Greeley restaurant on Oct. 4, and sued McDonald’s about three weeks later. His attorney, Ron Simon, confirmed they’d settled the case, but said he couldn’t disclose the terms.
The 104 people in 14 states developed E. coli infections after eating McDonald’s items that contained fresh, slivered onions. Quarter Pounders were the most common item that people who got sick reported eating.
Thirty Colorado residents were sickened by E. coli in the McDonald’s outbreak, and one older adult in Mesa County died of complications from the infection. The actual number of cases may be higher, since not everyone who develops a gastrointestinal illness seeks treatment.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspected a Colorado food processing facility owned by Taylor Farms, but couldn’t conclusively link the company to the outbreak. The company issued a recall of its yellow onions in late October.
