Food Liability Litigation

Overview

Eckert Seamans’ Food Liability Litigation Group works with clients to not only defend claims, but also build a strategy to protect the company and the brand from future lawsuits and to minimize the negative publicity that often follows. From the farm to table, including national and regional food retailers, suppliers, and processors, clients in the food and agricultural industries rely on Eckert Seamans to advise and represent them in a variety of matters.

Our attorneys are experienced in the law, economics, and science of food liability litigation. From the outset, our food liability lawyers treat each case as if it were going to trial. Early case assessment put the client in the strongest possible position. We help clients protect their business and their brands by avoiding protracted litigation whenever possible. Also, we provide counseling regarding putting into practice good agricultural practices and good manufacturing practices, including counseling retail and dining establishments.

We’ve handled a multitude of food borne pathogen cases, including hepatitis A, E. coli, and salmonella. Along with our knowledge and experience, we have relationships with leading experts in food borne illnesses and professionals associated with outbreak response, including crisis communications specialists, epidemiologists, and state and local agencies involved in food safety, such as the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

We’ve also defended food manufacturers in class actions involving food labeling issues and FDA regulatory issues.

Representative Matters

  • Successfully defended a seafood manufacturer involving FDA regulatory class action.
  • Successfully defended a grower in national litigation from California to Pennsylvania to Tennessee in the United States’ largest ever outbreak of hepatitis A.
  • Successfully defended a major bottling company and restaurants in regard to foreign objects.
  • Successfully defended grower regarding E. coli claims linked to lettuce.
  • Successfully defended a manufacturer on salmonella infection claims.

Related Practice Areas

Litigation

Product Liability