LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On January 19, 2015, Robertson & Associates, LLP filed a class action lawsuit against Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) for allegedly allowing its Kitchen Manager to work for two days while sick with gastrointestinal symptoms, infecting potentially thousands of customers from its Simi Valley restaurant with the highly infectious Norovirus between August 18-19, 2015. A joint investigation conducted by Ventura County Environmental Health and Public Health Divisions concluded that Norovirus was the cause of this foodborne illness outbreak, which caused at least 234 people to become sick with vomiting, diarrhea, headache, fever and stomach pain. According to county health officials, Chipotle served a total of 3,000 entrees during this two day period, so the total number of customers who suffered gastrointestinal illness is likely higher than the 234 who reported their symptoms to health officials.
The Plaintiffs in this class action are six (6) high school students and one (1) parent who all purchased and consumed food adulterated with Norovirus at Chipotle's Simi Valley restaurant, located at 1263 Simi Town Center Way, Simi Valley, CA. The Plaintiffs seek to represent all customers who suffered gastrointestinal illness from eating food contaminated with Norovirus spread by sick Chipotle employees at its Simi Valley restaurant between August 18-20, 2015.
On January 6, 2016, Chipotle filed a Form 8-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission disclosing, "In December 2015, Chipotle was served with a Federal Grand Jury Subpoena from the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in connection with an official criminal investigation being conducted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, in conjunction with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Office of Criminal Investigations The subpoena requires us to produce a broad range of documents related to a Chipotle restaurant in Simi Valley, California, that experienced an isolated norovirus incident during August 2015."
Alex “Trey” Robertson, IV, Esq. is an experienced trial lawyer who holds an AV-Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer-review rating given only to those lawyers who demonstrate the highest level of ethical standards and legal ability. Alex also has been named a “Super Lawyer” for Southern California from 2011-2015. In 2014, he received “The Litigator Award” from the Trial Lawyers Board of Regents, a distinction given to only 1% of all attorneys, based upon verified settlement and verdict amounts. Alex is admitted to practice in California, Nevada, Colorado and Texas.
Mr. Robertson is no stranger to handling class actions cases, which have also involved criminal investigations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Between 2011 and the present, Mr. Robertson represented clients in numerous wrongful death cases and a separate class action against 1 800 GET THIN, which is currently the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office in conjunction with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Office of Criminal Investigations.
Alex has handled numerous high profile toxic tort cases, including those for celebrities Ed McMahon, Erin Brockovich, Ted Nugent, Vin Scully (L.A. Dodger’s announcer) and other celebrities, professional athletes and public figures. Many of his cases have been featured in local and national media, including CBS News “48 Hours” (twice), CBS News “The Early Show”, ABC News “Prime Time Live”, NBC News “Today Show”, New York Times Sunday Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, ABA Journal, Forbes Magazine and CNN’s “Lou Dobbs” show.
With over 30 years of experience as a trial lawyer, Mr. Robertson has recovered more than $300,000,000 for consumers in consumer class actions.
