An E coli outbreak that originated from one farm in Surrey may result in its victims being entitled to receive personal injury compensation awards that could cost millions of pounds. The farm has since admitted liability for the outbreak.
Around 93 people became ill after a visit to Godstone Farm in Surey over the 2009 August bank holiday. Several of the individuals who fell ill were children. After an investigation was conducted the culprit responsible for the injury claims was identified as the 0157 strain of the deadly E coli bacterium.
It was recently revealed that authorities had permitted the farm to remain open for two weeks after initial tests suspected E coli. his delay of two weeks resulted in several more cases that would have never occurred had the farm been closed immediately instead.
Many of the victims of the outbreak may require kidney replacements in the future, due to the nature of the damage the bacterium sustained to their bodies. The farm has recently stated that it will not contest liability for any personal injury claims that arise from the incident.
A judge has yet to determine how much compensation the victims will be entitled to for their injuries. Industry experts believe the amount is likely to be considerable however.
One spokesperson for Godstone recently commented on the incident and its aftermath. They stated that over the past 15 months the children that had been involved in the E coli outbreak have been in the forefront of the farm’s prayers and thoughts. Any children who spent time in hospital as a direct result of the outbreak were particularly within their thoughts, added the spokesperson.
The E coli bacterium is usually benign and is present in the digestive systems of many different species of mammals. However the 0157 strain of the bacterium can sometimes cause kidney failure in children and the elderly.