Excel ordered to pay Sizzler in E. coli death case

By Tom Johnston on 7/31/2008

MeatingPlace

A Milwaukee County jury decided that Excel Corp. should pay Sizzler USA more than $7 million to compensate for lost revenue resulting from the death of a young girl who ate food contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 from meat supplied by Excel.

The decision is another big hit to Excel, now known as Cargill Meat Solutions, which last month was ordered to pay $8.5 million to the family of Brianna Kriefall. The 3-year-old Milwaukee girl died eight years ago after eating watermelon at a local Sizzler that her lawyers argued was contaminated with E. coli when meat came in contact with the fruit.

Excel had argued that the restaurant did not properly train and supervise its employees in the practices of safe meat handling.

"We are disappointed in the results and are considering our options," Cargill spokesman Mark Klein said in a statement.

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