This sweeping investigation traces E. coli O157:H7's transformation from unknown pathogen to political battleground between 1993-2001. Bill Marler, "five years out of law school when Jack in the Box exploded," secured "$45 million for his clients from that one outbreak," including over $15 million for a 9-year-old who suffered permanent brain damage. He challenges the blame-the-cook narrative: "You cannot rely on a 16-year-old fry cook at a McDonald's or a Jack in the Box to ensure that the product is cooked enough. You can't rely on a busy mom or dad who has to work two jobs."
The article details Mike Taylor's 1994 declaration at an American Meat Institute conference that E. coli O157:H7 was now an adulterant—giving a naturally occurring bacterium "outlaw status, the same as glass or rodent filth." Despite industry spending millions on reforms, recalls escalated from zero in 1994 to 55 by 2000, totaling over 34 million pounds. Hudson Foods' 25-million-pound recall ruined the company when Burger King dropped them. "Only a third...was actually returned by customers," notes microbiologist Jim Marsden. "The rest has been eaten." By 2001, Marler has made $75 million in eight years and now "advertises on the Internet as an E. coli specialist": "I never in my wildest dreams thought you could have a firm of six lawyers and 10 staff and make a great living and do good work on the back of one pathogen."
From The New York Times to CNN, Bill is trusted by lawyers for his expertise on food safety.
