Ron Simon & Associates Files Raw Milk Lawsuit Against Keely Farms Dairy in Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. — The national food poisoning law firm of Ron Simon & Associates, along with Orlando-based Newsome Law, has filed the first lawsuit linked to contaminated Keely Farms Dairy raw milk.

The lawsuit, filed in Seminole County, Florida, comes as the Florida Department of Health reports an E. coli and Campylobacter outbreak of human illnesses linked to raw milk from Keely Farms Dairy in New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

Exposure to raw milk has sickened at least 21 victims since January. Six children under the age of 10 have been infected, and seven victims have been hospitalized. At least two cases have developed severe complications.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Rachel Maddox, who was 20 weeks pregnant, and her two-year-old son, who both became ill after consuming Keely Farms Dairy raw milk. Her son was the first to become sick, developing nausea, fever, diarrhea, abdomen pain, chills and dehydration. He was hospitalized for 10 days. Maddox became ill with similar symptoms, developed sepsis and lost her unborn child. She was hospitalized for 19 days. 

Both Maddox and her son tested positive for the strain of Campylobacter linked to contaminated Keely Farms Dairy raw milk, said Ron Simon & Associates.

It is illegal to sell raw milk in Florida for human consumption. The raw milk Maddox purchased had no warning concerning the potential for bacterial contamination, according to Ron Simon & Associates.

"Those who produce and sell raw milk and other unpasteurized dairy products know the extreme risk of bacterial infection to those who consume it and have a duty to follow strict sanitary guidelines to prevent contamination,” said Ron Simon, a food safety lawyer representing several of the outbreak victims. “They also have a duty to fully warn their customers of the inherent risks of consuming raw milk. Keely Farms Dairy met neither of these requirements, and this outbreak is the result. Through this lawsuit and others, we will obtain just and fair compensation for each of our clients, determine exactly how this tragedy occurred and what Keely Farms Dairy should have done to prevent it, and ensure that this never happens again.”

Keely Farms Dairy Claim Center 

Simon and his law firm have established a Keely Farms Dairy Claim Center to assist victims in the outbreak. The claim center can be reached toll-free at 1-888-335-4901 or by visiting the firm's website.