Alexander Harris were approached by mother's who had tragically and unknowingly passed infections from listeria bacteria onto their unborn children.
The claims centred around the fact that the Department of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food were negligent in not issuing a warning which had been passed to them from the World Health Organisation as to the growing listeria danger. They did not release the information to the public for some time, despite other countries doing so.
The case was launched in July 1990 and centred around one claim in particular where a mother had regularly eaten pate, soft cheese and pre packed chilled foods during pregnancy and had passed on an overwhelming infection to the unborn child. The child was born blind and seriously disabled.
At this time an important decision was made in the House of Lords in the case of X (minors) -v- Bedfordshire County Council and Others, which meant that you were unable to sue the Government for damages except in special circumstances. Thus, the case had to end. This has now been overruled by 2 decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, Osman -v- United Kingdomand Z -v- United Kingdom. If a similar case were to be brought today it would probably succeed.
If you believe that you might have a legal claim relating to Listeriosis , please complete the online enquiry form or call 0870 024 0558. Your enquiry will be forwarded to a solicitor who specialises in Listeriosis .
If you have any comments in relation to Listeriosis , please use the online discussion forum.
All the staff I have spoken to at Alexander Harris have been polite and have made details very clear and easy to understand. Alexander Harris are a very professional and approachable business: Debbie, Bucks
