BOCA RATON, Fla.–(LAWFUEL – Class Actions – Two class action lawsuits were filed by Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP, the nation’s most successful shareholder and consumer class action law firm, against Menu Foods, Inc., the Canadian manufacturer responsible for producing pet food that has killed dogs and cats across America.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has confirmed that a compound called melamine has been found in wheat gluten imported from China and used in the tainted food. Melamine often is used to make plastic cutlery and also is used in fertilizer. Menu Foods officials have stated publicly that the wheat gluten, used to thicken the gravy in its pet food, is believed to have caused the illnesses and deaths.
According to the lawsuits, after receiving numerous complaints from concerned customers, Menu Foods belatedly recalled the toxic food. The poisoned pet food has sparked a national panic among pet owners and overwhelmed veterinarians. As of March 27, members of a Web site for U.S. veterinarians had reported at least 471 cases of kidney failure among pets in the previous 10 days. Experts and veterinary organizations estimate the final death toll could exceed 10,000.
The class action suits seek to compel the company to establish a multi-million-dollar fund to compensate grieving pet owners for the loss of pets, veterinary bills and medical monitoring and the expense of replacing poisoned food.
The suits were filed in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and San Francisco, California. The Florida suit was filed on behalf of Christina Troiano, whose two cats, Angel and Piesche, died after eating cat food manufactured by Menu Foods. The California suit was filed on behalf of Sherry Ingles, whose dog, Smokey, died on March 3 after eating a brand of wet dog food manufactured by Menu Foods.
To view the Complaints, or if you are a member of the press interested in learning more, please visit our Web site, www.lerachlaw.com/lcsr-cgi-bin/mil?templ=cases/menufoods/signup.html.
If you are a pet owner whose pet has become ill after eating Menu Foods, or have materials of interest you would like us to consider in connection with this case, please contact us at PoisonedPetFood@lerachlaw.com.
Lerach Coughlin, a 180-lawyer firm with offices in San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Boca Raton, Washington, D.C., Houston, Philadelphia and Seattle, is active in major litigations pending in federal and state courts throughout the United States and has taken a leading role in many important actions on behalf of defrauded investors, consumers, and companies, as well as victims of human rights violations. Lerach Coughlin lawyers have been responsible for more than $20 billion in aggregate recoveries. The Lerach Coughlin Web site (http://www.lerachlaw.com) has more information about the firm.
