Damages for Surrey E coli victims ‘could run into millions’

Posted 12/01/2011

The amount of personal injury compensation that victims of an E coli outbreak in Surrey may be eligible to receive could run into millions of pounds after the farm involved admitted liability.

Some 93 people including many children became ill after visiting Godstone Farm in Surrey over the August bank holiday in 2009 and investigations found it was due to the deadly E coli 0157 strain.

It later emerged that authorities had allowed the petting farm to stay open for two weeks despite initial tests suspecting E coli, which led to many more cases than would have occurred had the farm been closed immediately.

The victims – many of whom may need kidney replacements in the future – took legal action against the farm, which this week said it will “not be contesting liability” for the personal injury claims.

A judge will decide how much the victims will receive at a later date, but it is likely to be a considerable amount.

“In the last 15 months the children involved have never been far from our thoughts and prayers, particularly those who spent time in hospital,” a Godstone spokesperson commented.