Restaurant Worker Exposes As Many As 5,000 People to Hepatitis A

Health officials in Missouri announced on Wednesday, May 21st, as many as 5,000 people who dined in a Red Robin were exposed to Hepatitis A.

The Robin employee reportedly last worked at the Missouri branch of the restaurant chain on May 16th, a Friday. The restaurant was inspected and deemed safe after the worker, infected with Hepatitis A, left.

Spokespeople from the Red Robin headquarters, in New Jersey, did not say in what part of the restaurant the infected employee worked, but told diners who ate there between May 8th and May 16th that they should check with the local health department for information about the Hepatitis A outbreak and what to do next.

“It scared me because my husband has been sick,” Andrea Hall, a Red Robin customer, said. “And a lot of his symptoms of his matched. A red flag just went off and I was like what do I do from here?”

Hepatitis A can be transmitted through contaminated food and water, or by someone who is infected. Frequent handwashing can limit the spread of Hepatitis A, but does not guarantee that no one else will catch it. The Mayo Clinic says that many of those infected with Hepatitis A recover completely with no liver damage, but severe cases can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and death.

The Missouri health department said that all current workers at the Red Robin have been inoculated against Hepatitis A. Kathryn Wall, a spokeswoman for the Missouri health department, said restaurant-goers may have been exposed as early as May 4; however, she could not estimate how many.

“Those individuals should monitor their health and report symptoms to their health care providers,” she said.

Federal Prosecution of Hepatitis A and Communicable Diseases

Knowingly infecting other people is a serious criminal offense, whether the infection is Hepatitis A, C, or HIV. It can be considered assault with intent to do bodily harm. If the crime occurs across multiple state lines, it becomes a federal issue.

Assault and battery are two different but related crimes that frequently happen simultaneously and, as a result, are usually prosecuted jointly. Assault involves the act of threatening to injure someone, while battery refers to the actual act of violence. Both assault and battery are taken extremely seriously in a court of law and carry heavy penalties including jail time and more.

If you cannot file for criminal or federal charges, personal injury lawsuits can help you recover medical costs and punish the person that infected you. Medical malpractice personal injury lawsuits can also help a medical professional from continuing dangerous practices that could lead to the spread of disease.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Personal Injury Claims for Medical Negligence, Including for Hepatitis A

If you or a loved one have been injured, harmed, or killed from contracting serious communicable diseases like Hepatitis A, HIV, or meningitis, you may be entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help get you the compensation you deserve, to get you through these tough times. We are licensed to practice across South Carolina, Georgia, and New York. To help you with your case, we offer free, confidential consultations. Do not hesitate to contact us. 803.252.4800