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Were you or a loved one sick after eating at The Kebab Shop between March 27 and April 30, 2026? You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
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Gomez Trial Attorneys, together with co-counsel Ron Simon & Associates, has filed the first lawsuit in the California E. coli outbreak at The Kebab Shop. The complaint, filed in Orange County, names The Kebab Shop and its beef supplier, Olympia Food Industries, Inc. of Illinois. It was brought on behalf of a young girl, identified by the initials KG, who was hospitalized for 17 days with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and acute kidney failure after eating a beef kofta plate at The Kebab Shop on April 28, 2026.
According to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), at least nine people have been confirmed ill in the outbreak, and five required hospitalization. Investigators have linked the illnesses to beef kofta served at The Kebab Shop locations across California between March 27 and April 30, 2026.
If you or a family member ate at The Kebab Shop during that window and later experienced symptoms of E. coli infection (bloody diarrhea, severe cramps, vomiting, or kidney problems), you may have a claim against the restaurant, its supplier, or both. The window to act is limited.
Do I Have a Case? Eligibility Checklist
You may qualify to join the E. coli lawsuit if the following apply to you:
- You or a family member ate at any The Kebab Shop location in California between March 27, 2026 and April 30, 2026.
- You became ill within about 10 days of eating. Most E. coli O157:H7 cases develop symptoms 3 to 4 days after exposure.
- You experienced symptoms consistent with E. coli infection: severe abdominal cramping, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever, or in serious cases, hemolytic uremic syndrome.
- You sought medical attention, were tested, or were hospitalized. Stool culture results, ER records, or a doctor’s note all help strengthen a claim.
You do not need a confirmed stool test to call us. If you are unsure whether your illness was related, we will walk you through it at no cost and with no obligation.
Symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 Infection
Symptoms may include:
- Severe abdominal cramps and stomach pain
- Watery diarrhea that progresses to bloody diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
- Low-grade fever (under 101°F)
- Fatigue, dehydration, and reduced urine output
- In children and the elderly: hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening complication that causes kidney failure, anemia, and low platelet count
Children Are Especially Vulnerable
coli O157:H7 is one of the most dangerous strains of the bacteria for young children. According to the CDC, roughly 5 to 10 percent of children who are infected go on to develop HUS, the same condition that put KG in the hospital for 17 days. HUS can require dialysis, blood transfusions, and lifelong medical follow-up. If your child ate at The Kebab Shop and is showing any of these symptoms, seek emergency medical care immediately and then call us.
What to Do Right Now
If you suspect you or your child were sickened by The Kebab Shop’s beef kofta, take these steps in order:
- Get medical care. Bloody diarrhea, severe dehydration, or any sign of kidney problems is a medical emergency, especially in children.
- Call Gomez Trial Attorneys at (619) 237-3490 for a free, no-obligation case review. The earlier we are involved, the more evidence we can preserve.
- Ask your doctor for a stool culture. A lab-confirmed E. coli O157:H7 result is the single strongest piece of evidence in your claim.
- Save your receipts. Credit card statements, delivery app order histories, and even photos of your meal posted to social media can establish when and where you ate.
- Keep a symptom timeline. Write down when symptoms started, how they progressed, every doctor or ER visit, and any time off work or school.
- Do not sign anything from the restaurant, the supplier, or any insurance company before talking to a lawyer.
Why Victims Are Pursuing The Kebab Shop E. coli Lawsuit
- CDPH and USDA FSIS have already confirmed the outbreak, linking at least nine illnesses and five hospitalizations to The Kebab Shop’s beef kofta and identifying Olympia Food Industries, Inc. as the supplier.
- Children have suffered life-threatening complications, including hemolytic uremic syndrome and acute kidney failure.
- Under California law, restaurants and their suppliers can be held strictly liable for foodborne illness. Victims do not need to prove the restaurant was careless, only that the food was contaminated and that it caused their illness.
- Victims face mounting medical bills, lost wages, and long-term health consequences that the restaurant and its suppliers, not the victims, should bear.
The Kebab Shop E. coli Lawyer: How Gomez Trial Attorneys Can Help
Gomez Trial Attorneys is a San Diego-based personal injury firm. We were first to file in Orange County in this outbreak, which means we are already in front of the court, gathering evidence, and coordinating with state and federal investigators.
We are working as co-counsel with Ron Simon & Associates, the national food-poisoning law firm. Over 33 years, Ron Simon and his team have recovered over $850 million for foodborne illness victims and shaped food safety policy at Fortune 500 companies. When you call Gomez Trial Attorneys, you get the combined resources of both firms.
What that means for you:
- A California-based legal team that knows the local courts, hospitals, and public health investigators.
- National food-poisoning litigation experience across E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, and Hepatitis A outbreaks.
- Direct relationships with public health officials and food safety experts who help build outbreak cases.
- No fees unless we win. Foodborne illness cases are handled on contingency.
What Compensation Can You Recover?
A successful claim can recover compensation for:
- Past and future medical expenses, including ER visits, hospitalization, dialysis, and follow-up care
- Lost income and lost earning capacity, including time parents missed work caring for a sick child
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress, including anxiety and trauma in young children
- Long-term and permanent injuries, particularly kidney damage from HUS
- Out-of-pocket costs: childcare, transportation to medical appointments, prescription medication
California Foodborne Illness Law in Plain English
California holds restaurants, food manufacturers, and distributors to a high standard. Under the doctrine of strict product liability, a victim does not have to prove the restaurant was careless. The victim only has to prove the food was contaminated and that the contaminated food caused the illness.
Strict liability in California reaches every business in the chain of distribution: the restaurant (The Kebab Shop), the manufacturer (Olympia Food Industries, Inc.), and any distributors that moved the beef from the plant to the storefront. Additional defendants may be named as discovery proceeds.
California also recognizes claims for negligence, breach of warranty, and violation of the state’s Health & Safety Code. An experienced food poisoning lawyer will plead these theories in the alternative to maximize recovery.
Act Now. Time to File Your Claim Is Limited.
Foodborne illness victims in California generally have two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury claim. For a minor, that two-year clock is tolled until the child’s 18th birthday, after which the standard two-year period begins to run. Even so, parents should act now. Important: the tolling rule protects the child’s own claim. A parent’s separate claim for their own losses (lost wages, medical expenses they paid, emotional distress) generally runs on the standard two-year deadline from the date of injury. Evidence preservation, witness memory, and public health coordination do not wait.
Evidence in outbreak cases disappears fast. Restaurants throw out food. Receipts get lost. Memories fade. The sooner you call, the stronger your claim.
- Free, confidential case review
- No fees unless we win your case
- Available 24/7 in English and Spanish
- Experienced food safety legal team with California courts and national resources
Frequently Asked Questions
I ate at The Kebab Shop but never went to the doctor. Can I still file a claim?
Possibly. A lab-confirmed E. coli test makes a claim much stronger, but it is not always required. Call us. We will help you reconstruct the timeline and figure out what evidence is available.
What if I ordered delivery and ate at home?
It does not matter where you ate it. If the food came from The Kebab Shop during the outbreak window and made you sick, you may have a claim.
My child was the one who got sick, not me. Who files the claim?
A parent or legal guardian files on behalf of the minor. Damages typically include the parent’s lost wages, the child’s medical bills, and the child’s pain, suffering, and long-term injuries.
How much does it cost to hire Gomez Trial Attorneys?
Nothing up front. We work on a contingency fee. We are only paid if we recover money for you.
How long will my case take?
Cases involving HUS or long-term kidney damage take longer because doctors need time to determine the full extent of the injury. Simpler cases can resolve in months. We will give you a realistic timeline at your free consultation.
What if I am also being contacted by Ron Simon & Associates?
Gomez Trial Attorneys and Ron Simon & Associates are working as co-counsel on this outbreak. When you retain one, you get the combined resources of both.
I am undocumented. Can I still file a claim?
Yes. Immigration status does not bar a personal injury or food poisoning claim in California. All conversations are confidential.
What if I am not sure my illness came from The Kebab Shop?
Call us anyway. Public health investigators and our medical experts can help connect your illness to the outbreak or rule it out. The consultation is free.
Contact Gomez Trial Attorneys Today
If you or a loved one were sickened by The Kebab Shop’s beef kofta in California between March 27 and April 30, 2026, contact us now for a free, confidential case review. Our team is available 24/7 in English and Spanish.
Call (619) 237-3490 or request a free case review at thegomezfirm.com/contact.