KFC Ruling: Fast Food Chain Ordered To Pay $8.3 Million To Australian Family For Salmonella Poisoning

SYDNEY, April 27 (Reuters) - Fast-food chain KFC has been ordered to pay A$8 million ($8.3 million) in damages to the family of an Australian girl who was left severely brain damaged and in a wheelchair after being poisoned by a chicken meal.

In 2005, Monika Samaan, then aged seven, her parents and her brother were hospitalised with salmonella poisoning after eating a "Twister" chicken wrap at a KFC restaurant near Sydney.

KFC, owned by Yum! Brands, said it was a tragic case but was "deeply disappointed and surprised by the decision" and would appeal against it.

Last week, a New South Wales Supreme Court judge ruled in favour of the family, saying KFC had breached its duty of care to the girl. On Friday, it awarded the family A$8 million in damages, as well as court costs.

Australian media quoted their lawyer, George Vlahakis, as saying the girl's illness had "exhausted the very limited resources of the family".

"The compensation ordered is very much needed," Vlahakis said.

Comments

[Tina Gregory-Hodges]

09:51 PM on 05/01/2012

That is pretty scary, it makes you think twice about eating out!

http://www.newsoxy.com/business/monika-samaan-kfc-68961.html

[greenalva]

09:50 PM on 04/30/2012

it's amazing they got KFC to admit they sell crap. they deserve all the money this is so unfortunate. all from a piece of lousy chicken.

[Lonnie DeVorak]

08:38 PM on 04/30/2012

Hey, Sell crap, pay price.

[JNo]

07:02 PM on 04/29/2012

here's a thought... patrons should start requesting to inspect the kitchen before ordering.

[Flavia LotusBlossom]

07:39 PM on 04/28/2012

Hey, here's a solution! STOP EATING THE REMAINS OF DEAD ANIMALS. Become vegan. Even in "nice" restaurants, you risk serious illness by eating the remains of dead animals. It is truly frightening. Even if you care nothing about compassion to animals, if you care anything about your own health - about preserving your own life, in some cases - go vegan. Better yet - go vegan, and grow most of your own vegetables too - this can be done even with limited space to garden - look it up online. And if you can't grow your own vegetables, buy locally as much as possible, pass up imported food. Eat in. Learn to cook.

[andrethesnox]

12:57 AM on 04/28/2012

This is why I try to eat at McDonalds

[FreedomMan]

05:08 PM on 04/27/2012

A new way to play chicken.

[elarue111]

05:01 PM on 04/27/2012

I worked in resturants for years, some cheap, some very expensive. Just know that your local health department is not protecting you from food mishandling. While working for a large hotel I saw whole turkeys piled in a bin that held about 50. They set out at room temp for 3 days to defrost. I have seen the usual food on the floor then served. Cross contamination from improper handling etc. While you cannot be sure of the kitchen by the dining room one thing is sure, if the dining room is dirty or needs maintaince, the kitchen is worse. Look for layers of dust on the decorations, or film on the baseboards, if you see it, leave. Know that your senses are your best protection. As to the judgement against KFC, great news, it needs to happen more often to make owners and managers care.

[catboycolo]

04:40 PM on 04/27/2012

You revictimize the family by complaining about the amount that a court of law decided on. Shame on you.

[gmomdefeo]

05:16 PM on 04/27/2012

Hello catboycolo

100% agreed with you/. God bless this family

[lw1928]

04:16 PM on 04/27/2012

That poor girl. This is a really tragic story. No money can fix this. :(

[gmomdefeo]

05:33 PM on 04/27/2012

Hello lw1928
your so right, no amount of money can ever give her back her life as it was.She was only seven years old. This little girl and her family has a tough road to travel. I have not heard anything about her little brother only that he to got sick and was hospitalize with the parents. Getting salmonella poisoning was tragic for this family and KFC should have done more ..KFC( quote ) were very upset with the decision to award 8 million dollars....SHAME . SHAME ON KFC. I will never again be a customer of KFC,

[bdl00]

07:41 PM on 04/30/2012

It's so tragic that these fast food joints know how dangerous improper food handling can be and undercooked foods yet cases like this one are still happening. It's frightening and really makes you wonder why food standards are not TOP priority. It's so SO important!

[Dan Crabtree]

04:00 PM on 04/27/2012

Hummm too bad as an employee no doubt gave her this added bonus so to speak sadly...but keep it up liberals as they also will soon fold throwing thousands out of work....

[elarue111]

05:08 PM on 04/27/2012

8 million wont break them, but bad food handling will. As to those thousands out of work, the managers will just move to another chain, and the minimum wage earners have lost little with a fast food job. I speak from experience, I know what goes on in the kitchen of cheap and expensive resturants, proper procedures, training and supervision could have kept this from happening, now the offender has to pay, as well they should. There are many who die every year from food borne bacteria that are never diagnosed as the weak and ill are most at risk and their deaths are listed from other causes. The responsibility is not that of the govenment or local health department, but rather the people making money off the food. Wish we heard of more of these judgements, it would make resturant owners more aware and more careful.

[Tane555]

03:57 PM on 04/27/2012

h,mmmmm

[Tracie Thompson Smith]

03:38 PM on 04/27/2012

"The compensation is very much needed"...$8.3 million dollars? Seems a bit much to me. Sounds to me like the lawyers will benefit MORE from this than the family. Some lawyers are just thugs, and only get into a suit like this one because of the amount of money at stake. If the family won, THEY should get 95% of the winnings, with the rest being split among the lawyers.

[RJofDC]

03:23 PM on 04/27/2012

I believe this! I live in Washington, DC and in 2005, I bought a 4 piece wing dinner from KFC at the corner of 14th and U Streets. Within an hour of eating it, my stomach felt like it was going to expand and explode. I was deathly ill. I went to my doctor the next day and he diagnosed it as Staphylococcal Food Poisoning. I was out of work for two days. When I contacted KFC, both locally and at their HQ, they dismissed me and basically accused me of lying! The whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth..........literally and figuratively.

[bdl00]

07:43 PM on 04/30/2012

I'm surprised you didn't sue then for the two days you missed off work. Is that not what most American's usually do?

[RJofDC]

11:31 AM on 05/01/2012

I thought about it...................

[Lonnie DeVorak]

08:39 PM on 04/30/2012

If you were eating up on 14th and U streets NW, you should hae been eating at Bens Chili Bowl. Their food is much better.

[RJofDC]

11:31 AM on 05/01/2012

I lived at 13th and U - so I ate at Ben's quite frequently.

[Donald Roeder]

03:11 PM on 04/27/2012

Sad to hear about this, but I'll bet that the lawyers will get more than half the money [probably closer to 75% of it -- and even that may be a low estimate].

[Dan Crabtree]

04:01 PM on 04/27/2012

it is..

[KristyJS]

07:10 PM on 04/27/2012

It was 8.3mill plus attorney fees.......Read don't just assume.