Restaurant Ordered to Pay $11.4 Million For Salmonella Poisoning Incident

A man became seriously ill after eating at a Wyoming buffet.

A restaurant in Wyoming must pay a hefty settlement to a couple who were the victims of salmonella poisoning. A federal judge ruled that Old Country Buffet in Cheyenne owes Christopher and Heather Gage $11.4 million in damages related to the 2010 incident, reports KGAB.

According to the original complaint, after eating at the restaurant Mr. Gage suffered from several serious conditions including sepsis, acute kidney failure, and an irregular heartbeat. Per the court's judgment, he continues to suffer from a long list of symptoms: "He cannot eat or drink water without vomiting . . . His mobility has been taken from him. He falls on an almost daily basis, which has caused him to break bones. He requires a cane, walker, or wheelchair for mobility, depending on how debilitating his condition is on any given day. His cognitive functioning has been significantly impacted. His relationship with his wife and son have been adversely affected,” writes U.S. District Court Judge Scott Skavdahl.

The day before the Gages ate there, the Old Country Buffet was cited by the Laramie County Health Department for several violations. Per KGAB, the restaurant's parent company, Ovation Brands, never responded to the Gages' complaint and chose not to defend itself in court. Eater has reached out to Ovation Brands for comment.

It's not just small-town restaurants that suffer from salmonella outbreaks, either: Chipotle is being sued by three customers following a recent salmonella outbreak at 22 of its Minnesota stores. Meanwhile, an executive for a large peanut company was just sentenced to 28 years in prison for his role in causing a salmonella outbreak that killed nine people.

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