AVA Law Group Fights for Answers and Accountability when Outbreaks Cause Harm
When outbreaks happen, whether from contaminated food, water, or other environmental sources, the consequences can be devastating. AVA Law Group’s outbreak litigation attorneys work to uncover the truth about every outbreak’s cause, and to understand exactly what you and your family have been through. Our primary objectives during the legal process are to:
- Identify the cause and source of your illness so that we know exactly who is responsible for your harm;
- Understand the totality of your injuries and generate the evidence necessary to demonstrate the consequences to you and your family; and
- Fight for the justice and compensation you deserve.
Our team has decades of experience in representing outbreak victims across the United States. Whether your illness was brief or resulted in a catastrophic medical condition like hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), we have the legal and scientific knowledge necessary to ensure that, in this one chance you have to be compensated for your injuries, you are represented by attorneys with the skill and ability to get the job done.
AVA Law Group
Why Outbreak Litigation Matters
Millions of Americans suffer from illnesses caused by contaminated food, water, or environmental exposure every year. Children, seniors, and immunocompromised individuals face the highest risks from pathogens like E. coli (STEC), Salmonella, and Listeria – infections that can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), permanent kidney damage, and even death.
For families, the medical and financial toll can be life-altering. That’s why who represents you matters. You only get one chance to seek justice – and choosing a firm with the experience, scientific understanding, and national resources to win complex outbreak cases makes all the difference.
AVA Law Group’s Outbreak Litigation Lawyers have decades of experience handling high-stakes cases involving foodborne and waterborne pathogens. We’ve litigated against major corporations and food manufacturers, fighting for families devastated by outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and other bacterial and viral pathogens.
Led by R. Drew Falkenstein, who has represented outbreak victims across the U.S. and internationally for more than 20 years, our team combines legal skill with deep scientific and medical knowledge to identify the precise pathogen responsible for your illness, trace it back to the contaminated source, and hold the negligent companies and suppliers accountable (no matter how powerful).
We understand how HUS, kidney injury, and brain damage change families’ lives forever, and we fight to make sure your story is heard and your future is secure.
Quick Facts
1 in 6 Americans contract a foodborne illness each year.
STEC infections can lead to HUS in 5–20 % of cases.
HUS can cause permanent kidney injury or long-term complications.
Why Choose AVA’s Outbreak Litigation Team
Decades of Proven Outbreak Litigation Experience
The legal and scientific details are rarely simple when it comes to outbreaks. Our attorneys have litigated multi-state and national outbreak cases in nearly every state, working at the forefront of complex injury litigation. With decades of experience and deep professional relationships across public health, epidemiology, and microbiology, we leverage cutting-edge data and resources to uncover what happened and who’s responsible.
We’ve helped families nationwide recover from catastrophic foodborne and waterborne illnesses, building every case on a foundation of experience, evidence, and empathy.
National Strength, Local Compassion
AVA Law Group combines big-firm power with small-firm care. Licensed across the United States and partnered with local counsel in every state, we ensure that your case receives both the resources of a national firm and the personal attention of a local advocate.
Medical & Scientific Depth That Sets Us Apart
Outbreak litigation demands more than legal skill; it requires medical and scientific fluency. Led by R. Drew Falkenstein, who has represented outbreak victims across the United State for over 20 years, our team works closely with medical and scientific experts nationwide.
We’ve successfully handled cases involving:
- Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)
- Reactive Arthritis & Guillain-Barré Syndrome
- Brain & Organ Injuries, including Kidney and Liver Transplants
- Avascular Necrosis and Other Complications
Our experience spans outbreaks caused by E. coli O157:H7 and other STEC strains, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Hepatitis A, and botulinum toxins, pathogens that cause some of the nation’s most devastating public health crises.
24/7 Rapid Response
Outbreaks don’t wait, and neither do we. Our attorneys are available day or night, including weekends and holidays, to speak with victims and families in urgent need.
Bilingual & Inclusive Representation
We proudly serve clients nationwide in English and Spanish (Se habla Español), providing judgment-free, accessible legal support for every family affected by an outbreak.
Client-Centered Advocacy
We know this is your family’s one opportunity to seek justice. You’re never a case number at AVA Law Group. We take time to listen, understand, and tell your story with precision and heart, ensuring the impact of your experience is never lost in the legal process.
“You don’t have to fight alone. Your case, your voice, our mission.”
Outbreak Cases We Handle
Any case
Any state
Any defendant
Any defense lawyers.
Our litigation is based on discovery and fact development tools and methods, and there isn’t a company in the world that is too big or sophisticated for our lawyers to litigate against. Therefore, if we determine that your outbreak case, illness, or injury is a valid and provable claim, we will represent victims of any outbreak, regardless of its source or the company that caused it.
Foodborne illness outbreaks are very common. In fact, 90% of our case-load arises from foodborne illness outbreaks. But outbreaks also emerge from other common sources, including recreational water venues (e.g., pool outbreaks) and animal enclosures (e.g., “petting zoos”). Historically, these kinds of outbreaks–i.e., where the “vector” is something other than food–account for approximately 10% of our case-load. Regardless of the cause or source of any outbreak that injured your family, even where the cause or source is scientifically novel, our Outbreak Litigation Lawyers are well-qualified to understand the outbreak, develop and reconstruct the outbreak with admissible evidence, and tell your story.
E. coli Outbreaks & Severe Complications
E. coli O157:H7 and related STEC strains cause severe gastrointestinal illness and, in some cases, HUS. We handle cases tied to:
- Leafy greens (romaine, spinach)
- Ground beef and deli meats
- Daycare centers and petting zoos
- Unpasteurized milk and cheese
Our focus: proving liability and securing lifelong support for victims.
Legionnaires’ Disease
Caused by Legionella bacteria in water systems (hot tubs, cooling towers, fountains). Outbreaks result from poor maintenance and can lead to severe pneumonia or death.
Listeria and Salmonella Outbreaks
We pursue claims arising from contaminated produce, ready-to-eat meats, and dairy products that pose a risk to the public, particularly pregnant individuals and seniors.
Recent Outbreak Updates
Outbreak Monitor: We track CDC and FDA alerts and post legal insights so families can stay informed.
Think you were affected by a recent outbreak?
What to Do If You Suspect an Outbreak of an Illness
Get Medical Care Immediately
Tell your doctor you suspect a food- or waterborne pathogen and request tests (stool culture, PCR, bloodwork).
Preserve Evidence
Save leftover food, packaging, receipts, or notes about where you ate or stayed.
Report It
Contact your local health department to help identify connected cases.
Consult Our Legal Team
Tell your doctor you suspect a food- or waterborne pathogen and request tests (stool culture, PCR, bloodwork).
AVA Law Group
Get Help Now — Free Case Evaluation
Time matters in outbreak litigation. Evidence can disappear, and corporate defense teams move fast. So should you.
Call (800) 777-4141 or complete our secure form for a free, no-obligation case review.
No fees unless we win.
Your Case. Your Voice. Our Mission.
We make walking through the legal process easy
Problem Solving is our promise
We provide a team of attorney, paralegals, and case managers to clients at no upfront cost.
AVA Law Group eliminates the confusion of filing a claim by working on your claim and, if necessary, connecting you with one our many partner firms that fits your needs and will get you the best results.
We’re available 24/7 to provide you with the information you need about case qualification.