United Group Insurance

Iowa egg farm pays salmonella victims

Ag/Outdoor

November 16th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Dozens of people sickened after eating salmonella-tainted eggs will receive compensation in the first wave of legal settlements with the Iowa egg producer blamed for last year’s outbreak. Wright County Egg reached financial settlements with roughly 40 salmonella victims represented by Seattle attorney Bill Marler during a September mediation conference in Minneapolis. While the settlements are confidential, details of three became public last week when a federal judge in Iowa approved deals totaling $366,000 for children from Texas, California and Iowa who were hospitalized after becoming sick. The largest payment of $250,000 went to the family of a 3-year-old boy who collapsed and had to spend a week in the hospital. Federal officials say at least 1,900 people were sickened during the outbreak that started in July 2010.