MEMPHIS, Tennessee (WMC) — The Family Dollar is facing multiple class action lawsuits in at least three states over a rat infestation at the company’s West Memphis distribution center.
Clients who filed lawsuits say the company knew or should have known about the rat infestation and its associated health risks, but remained silent due to “corporate greed.”
Last month, the Federal Drug Administration said it found thousands of rodents at the plant and said some products shipped to Family Dollar stores in six states, including Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi, may have been contaminated.
One of the lawsuits was filed in Virginia, where Family Dollar’s parent company, Dollar Tree, Inc., is headquartered.
In the lawsuit, two Memphis-based Family Dollar customers say they have been buying groceries, diapers, medical devices, cosmetics and nutritional supplements for themselves and their families over the past 13 months.
The same products were named in a voluntary recall.
Plaintiffs accuse Family Dollar of selling recalled products despite having knowledge of rat infestation at the time of sale and that the products were not suitable for human or animal consumption.
Two other class action lawsuits were filed in Mississippi and Louisiana.
The plaintiffs in those lawsuits also say Family Dollar “knew, should have known, or acted recklessly not knowing that the products were exposed to salmonella and other infectious diseases due to rodent infestation.”
They also accuse the company of being silent due to “corporate greed”.
One lawsuit seeks damages of at least $75,000 and another seeks at least $5 million in damages.
The lawsuits, which were filed last week, also seek to represent all Family Dollar customers in the six states where stores are closed.
It was not possible to contact the lawyers who filed the lawsuits on Saturday.
Family Dollar has not yet responded to a request for comment on the lawsuits.
Family Dollar says they are in the process of “gradually” reopening stores, but they don’t have a schedule.
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