Family Dollar to pay 1.1M over rat infestation

Despite clean up, lawsuits proceed

By DON WILBURN

donaldfwilburn@gmail.com

Family Dollar has been ordered to pay $1.1 million to the State of Tennessee as part of a settlement stemming from a rodent infestation at the company’s West Memphis distribution center. The settlement follows multiple class-action lawsuits _led in at least three states after federal inspectors uncovered thousands of rodents inside the facility.

According to the lawsuit, Family Dollar Stores of Tennessee agreed to pay $1,125,000 to the Tennessee Attorney General’s Of_ce, with the funds to be allocated at the Attorney General’s discretion.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration launched an investigation into the West Memphis distribution center and found that some products shipped from the infested facility may have been contaminated. Family Dollar distributed goods from the facility to stores across six states, including Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi.

The lawsuit includes testimony from two Memphis residents, who claimed they unknowingly purchased food, diapers, medical devices, cosmetcs, and dietary supplements from Family Dollar over a 13-month period – items that may have been exposed to unsanitary conditions.

Attorney Tim Grif_n, who represented affected customers, alleged that between 2020 and 2022, the West Memphis facility struggled with a severe rodent infestation. During that period, more than 3,400 rodents were removed after state and federal agencies intervened.

The Tennessee Attorney General’s Of_ce sued Family Dollar for multiple violations, including negligence, strict liability, unjust enrichment, and breaches of the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The settlement aims to hold the company accountable for failing to maintain sanitary conditions while ensuring consumer safety in the future.