PITTSBURGH and NEW YORK , Nov. 14, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- The law firm of Seeger Weiss LLP, a nationally recognized complex class action and mass tort firm based in New York City, and the law firm Del Sole Cavanaugh LLC a Pittsburgh based litigation firm, announced that a lawsuit was filed today in Beaver County, Pennsylvania on behalf of a client who contracted Hepatitis-A after eating at a Prandium, Inc.'s (Pink Sheets:PRDM) Chi-Chi's restaurant at the Beaver Valley Mall in Monaca, Pennsylvania on October 5, 2003. A copy of the complaint filed in this action is available from the Court or by contacting counsel below.
The complaint alleges that Jacqueline Barborak and her daughter Tracy, both of whom are residents of Ohio, ate at the Chi Chi's on October 5 and that Jacqueline began experiencing symptoms of Hepatitis-A infection on or about October 23, 2003. Ms. Barborak subsequently sought medical attention and blood testing and she was diagnosed with the Hepatitis-A virus ("HAV"). Ms. Barborak's daughter, Tracy, also has been diagnosed with HAV and was similarly ill. Ms. Barborak has experienced severe symptoms of HAV and continues to receive medical attention.
The symptoms of HAV can last for weeks preventing the person infected from working or conducting his or her daily routine and, according to the Center for Disease Control, some persons who contract HAV can experience severe symptoms for a period of up to six to nine months. For most people, Hepatitis A clears up and there are no long-term problems. However, in some cases, there are long-term problems such as acute fulminant liver failure, a serious complication that can be lethal or can require a liver transplant, or aplastic anemia, which is a bone marrow failure problem that results in low blood cells (including low red cells, platelets, and white blood cells).(1) Healthcare providers often require patients to undergo repeated liver function tests over time to assure that the results are normal and the liver is functioning properly.(2)
As of the filing of the complaint, there are hundreds of confirmed cases of Hepatitis-A in various states including Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia that have been allegedly linked to the Chi Chi's restaurant. Thousands of others who ate at the Chi Chi's received an Immune Globulin shot to prevent infection and three people have died from the HAV outbreak.
Seeger Weiss and Del Sole Cavanaugh have been contacted by a number of people who have contracted Hepatitis-A after eating at the Chi Chi's at the Beaver Valley Mall. This case is the first of many actions the firms expect to file against Prandium, Inc. on behalf of their clients. The firms are also contemplating an action on behalf of a class of victims for their existing and ongoing medical expenses related to the HAV outbreak and continued medical monitoring, which would include expenses for liver function tests.
Seeger Weiss LLP is a firm with approximately 20 attorneys located in New York, New York and in New Jersey. It is a nationally recognized law firm that has successfully recovered millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for injured victims in significant mass tort and complex class actions. The firm also has worked with some of the leading medical experts regarding the liver.
Del Sole Cavanaugh LLC is a Pittsburgh based litigation firm that represents severely injured people. Its members have extensive experience in complex cases throughout the country involving mass torts, including injury from pharmaceutical products and chemical exposure.
More information on this and other class actions can be found on the Class Action Newsline at www.primezone.com/ca.
For more information, please contact the below attorneys.
(1) Source: http://health.discovery.com/diseasesandcond/encyclopedia/243.html
(2) Id.