Product Liability and Microbial Foodborne Illness
by
Jean C. Buzby, Paul Frenzen, and Barbara Rasco
Agricultural Economic Report No. (AER-799) 45 pp, April 2001
Cover image for ERS report "Product Liability and Microbial Foodborne Illness" (AER-799)
This report examines how product liability law treats personal injuries attributed to microbially contaminated foods. The risk of lawsuits stemming from microbial foodborne illness and the resulting court-awarded compensation may create economic incentives for firms to produce safer food. It is not known how many consumers seek compensation for damages from contaminated foods because information about complaints and legal claims involving foodborne illness is not readily accessible, especially for cases that are settled out of court. Reviewing the outcomes of 175 jury trials involving foodborne pathogens, the analysis identifies several factors that influence trial outcomes, while noting that the awards won by plaintiffs tend to be modest.
Keywords: foodborne illness, food safety, jury verdict, personal injury, product liability
In this publication...
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Abstract, Pdf file 28 kb
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Summary, Pdf file 23 kb
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Table of Contents, Pdf file 45 kb
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Chapter 1: Introduction, Pdf file 38 kb
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Chapter 2: Characteristics of Microbial Foodborne Illness Relevant to Litigation, Pdf file 65 kb
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Chapter 3: The Intersection Between Liability Law and Economics and Its Relevance to Foodborne Illness Litigation, Pdf file 62 kb
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Chapter 4: Analysis of Jury Verdict Data for Foodborne Illness, Pdf file 92 kb
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Chapter 5: Summary, Pdf file 60 kb
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References, Pdf file 64 kb
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Appendix, Pdf file 68 kb
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Entire report, Pdf file 240 kb
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