By: Staff and Wire Reports
10/01/2005
PITTSBURGH – A lawsuit filed by a Beaver man who needed a liver transplant in 2003 after he fell ill in the hepatitis A outbreak at a former Beaver Valley Mall restaurant has been settled for $6.25 million.
A federal judge approved a $4.1 million trust to pay for the ongoing care of Richard Miller, 58. The rest of the money will go to Miller’s wife, Linda, and their three children, to his attorneys, or to pay for medical expenses Miller already incurred.
Miller received a liver transplant on Nov. 8, 2003, after he and his wife fell ill from eating at the now-closed Chi-Chi’s Mexican restaurant in the Center Township mall. Linda Miller recovered from her illness
The settlement was reached six weeks ago, but became public at a court hearing on Thursday at which U.S. District Judge Terry McVerry approved the trust, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Friday.
Miller was one of 660 people sickened by green onions he ate at the restaurant; five deaths have been attributed to the outbreak.
“The Millers are happy to put this chapter of their lives behind them,” said attorney William Marler of Seattle. “Although no amount of money will ever compensate Mr. Miller for the loss of his liver, the money in trust will be there to help the Millers move on with their lives.”
“Richard cannot hope for noticeable improvement in his health,” the trust agreement says, adding that Miller may suffer future problems and may even need another transplant.
Chi-Chi’s attorneys have said the bankrupt chain has paid more than $40 million to settle hundreds of lawsuits stemming from the outbreak. Only a handful of suits remain unsettled; they are pending in Beaver County Court.

University officials call case an isolated incident
BY MICHELE BESSO / The News Journal
09/30/2005
An 18-year-old University of Delaware freshman is being treated for hepatitis A, a liver disease caused by a virus that can be spread through direct contact, university officials said Thursday.
It appears to be an isolated incident related to a recent monthlong trip to Mexico taken by the student, university officials said in a posting on the school’s Web site.
There have been no additional cases of hepatitis A reported on campus, said Marjorie Postell of the state Division of Public Health.

Continue Reading UD student recuperating from hepatitis A

Canadian Press
September 30, 2005
PITTSBURGH (AP) – A man who needed a liver transplant after he got hepatitis A from a Chi-Chi’s restaurant has settled a lawsuit against the bankrupt chain for $6.25 million US.
Richard Miller, 58, was among 660 people sickened by scallions served at a Chi-Chi’s near Pittsburgh in the fall of 2003. Four people died in the outbreak.
A federal judge Thursday approved the settlement, which includes a $4.1-million trust to pay for Miller’s care. Miller is married, with three children.
“The Millers are happy to have the litigation behind them,” said lawyer William Marler. “No amount of money ever makes losing your liver worth it, certainly.”
The chain of Mexican restaurants said it has paid more than $40 million to settle hundreds of lawsuits over the outbreak. The company sold all its restaurants to Outback Steakhouse Inc. last year.

Lindsay Devick –
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
The Knox County Health Department recently provided support to East Tennessee Regional Health Office to help offer treatment after an outbreak of Hepatitis A threatened Campbell County.
The ETRO stepped in to offer antibodies called immune serum globulin to restaurant patrons who were potentially exposed to Hepatitis A after an employee was suspected of handling uncooked foods without washing her hands.
“The IsG shot provides a dose of antibodies that boosts your immune system to fight off the virus,” Sandy Halford, assistant director for ETRO, said. “The shot is especially important for people with weakened immune systems.”

Continue Reading Restaurant patrons treated for Hepatitis

September 30, 2005
Hector Duarte Jr. – All Headline News Staff Reporter
Pittsburgh, PA (AHN) – A lawsuit filed by a man who needed a liver transplant after he got hepatitis A from a Chi-Chi’s restaurant reaches a settlement for $6.25 million.
A federal judge approves a $4.1 million trust to pay for the ongoing care of Richard Miller, 58. The rest of the money will go to Miller’s wife, Linda, and their three children, to his attorneys, or to pay for medical expenses Miller already incurred.
The settlement was reached six weeks ago, but became public at a court hearing at which U.S. District Judge Terry McVerry approved the trust, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports Friday.

Continue Reading PA Man Wins Chi-Chi’s Suit

30.09.2005
MOSCOW, September 30 (Itar-Tass) – Fifty-six people have been hospitalised with the diagnosis of hepatitis A in the Nizhny Novgorod region over the past 24 hours, the press service of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry told Itar-Tass on Friday.
At the same time, 97 people have been discharged from hospitals after treatment.
A total of 993 people diagnosed with hepatitis A are staying in the hospitals in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

Continue Reading Hepatitis outbreak unabated in Russia region

By Karen Roebuck
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, September 30, 2005
A Beaver County man who needed a liver transplant after being infected in the 2003 hepatitis A outbreak is receiving a $6.25 million settlement from Chi-Chi’s Mexican Restaurant.
U.S. District Judge Terrence McVerry on Thursday approved a Special Needs Trust for the ongoing care of Richard Miller, of Beaver, who will turn 59 next week.
About $4.1 million will be put into the trust, which will be administered by US Bank. Miller’s wife, Linda, and their three children each will receive $100,000.
The rest of the settlement, which was agreed to confidentially about six weeks ago but made public as part of the trust agreement, will be used to repay uncovered medical expenses and attorney and other fees, said Miller’s Seattle attorney, William Marler, who specializes in foodborne-illness cases.

Continue Reading Chi-Chi’s pays $6.25 million to hepatitis victim

By Associated Press
September 30, 2005
PITTSBURGH — A lawsuit filed by a man who needed a liver transplant after he got hepatitis A from a Chi-Chi’s restaurant has been settled for $6.25 million.
A federal judge approved a $4.1 million trust to pay for the ongoing care of Richard Miller, 58. The rest of the money will go to Miller’s wife, Linda, and their three children, to his attorneys, or to pay for medical expenses Miller already incurred.
The settlement was reached six weeks ago, but became public at a court hearing on Thursday at which U.S. District Judge Terry McVerry approved the trust, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Friday.

Continue Reading Hepatitis Victim Settles Chi-Chi’s Suit