The McDonald’s E. Coli Drama Is Far From Over. A Colorado Family Just Sued the Fast-Food Giant Over the Outbreak

McDonald’s may no longer deal with an active E. coli outbreak in its restaurants, but the drama surrounding it is far from over. A Colorado family just announced that they are suing the fast-food giant for the outbreak, with the litigant family claiming that they got sick following a visit to the restaurant where they allegedly consumed contaminated burgers. Here’s what we know about the lawsuit so far.

McDonald’s Sued by Colorado Family

According to ABC Denver 7, a Colorado mother and her 10-year-old daughter filed a new lawsuit against McDonald’s and Taylor Farms Colorado on Tuesday, claiming they contracted E. coli after consuming contaminated Quarter Pounders.

According to 29-year-old Geovanna Zambrano, she purchased two Quarter Pounders for herself and her daughter at a Colorado Springs eatery on Oct. 17. According to Zambrano, they both began vomiting, experiencing severe cramping in their stomachs, and had diarrhea the following day. After visiting the hospital, they were found to have viral gastroenteritis.

They became ill when the fast-food restaurant was implicated in a statewide E. coli incident in October. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports that 34 individuals were hospitalized, and at least 104 people became ill in 14 states. In Colorado, four people experienced a potentially fatal kidney disease complication, and one person passed away.

McDonald’s and Taylor Farms Colorado are accused of strict liability and negligence in the Zambrano lawsuit.

“The most basic duty of the companies that grow, package, cook and prepare our food is to not make us sick,” Morgan & Morgan attorneys John Morgan and Aaron Clite, who represent the Zambranos, said in the filed complaint. “We allege that McDonald’s, which touts itself as the world’s largest fast-food chain, has failed to meet that baseline expectation. Ms. Zambrano and her young child are dealing with the consequences of the alleged negligence of McDonald’s and Taylor Farms, which include not only their acute digestive symptoms but the potential to develop long-term health issues.”

The complaint has not yet received a response.

The Restaurant Is Spending $100 Million To Bring Customers Back

For its part, the fast-food giant is trying to lure customers back into its stores after the E. coli outbreak. It announced in November that it was doing so by spending $100 million on marketing efforts and helping the most severely impacted franchises.

The fast-food behemoth said that $65 million would be given directly to the businesses that were most negatively affected. According to an employee memo seen by CNBC, the remaining $35 million was “invested in traffic-driving programs, including marketing efforts.” Additionally, McDonald’s would spearhead “local recovery plans for highly impacted markets,” according to the document.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Quarter Pounders’ sliced onions were probably the source of the E. coli outbreak. California’s Taylor Farms recalled onions that might have been linked to the outbreak. The Food and Drug Administration also stated, “There does not appear to be a continued food safety concern related to this outbreak at McDonald’s restaurants.”

Many establishments removed Quarter Pounders from their menus in the early stages of the outbreak. The fast-food chain secured a new supplier for the 900 outlets that temporarily stopped serving the burgers with onions. However, McDonald’s has been serving Quarter Pounders with sliced onions nationwide since the incident was contained.

McDonald’s was not the only eatery affected by the recall of sliced onions. The E. coli incident also affected Burger King and KFC, which discontinued serving fresh onions. Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and KFC parent firm Yum! Brands also acknowledged eliminating fresh onions from restaurants “out of an abundance of caution.” The Colorado restaurant chain Illegal Pete’s also temporarily removed onions from its menus due to the recall and worries about the E. coli outbreak.