Deadline Looming For Salmonella Victims To Cash In

BLAKELY, Ga. -- 11Alive News has learned that a major deadline is looming in the massive salmonella outbreak linked to the Peanut Corporation Plant in Blakely Georgia.

Seven hundred people were sickened and nine deaths have been linked to contanimated product that was intentionally shipped from the plant to Kellogg and King Nut companies.

Attorneys for 150 victims have been negotiating with The Hartford, the insurance company for the Peanut Corporation. The Hartford has agreed to pay $12 million to victims in the outbreak.

The deadline to file a claim to get part of the $12 million is October 31.

There are nine known salmonella victims in Georgia, but Houston, Tex., attorney Ron Simon, who represents 75 victims -- including two from Georgia -- says that for every one confirmed case, there are 30 more confirmed cases that have yet to come forward. That means there could be close to 300 people in the state who are eligible to receive some of the money.

Simon says anyone can file the claim but that it is complicated and recommends individuals seek an attorney's help. People must have medical proof they had salmonella and that it was linked to a PCA product that they'd eaten.

The Hartford intends to pay the victims before years end, according to Simon.

Claims must be submitted to a claims administrator by October 31, said Trustee Roy V. Creasy of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Virginia, Lynchburg Division.