About 40 diners struck down by Canberra's largest salmonella outbreak are expected to begin settlement negotiations with a northside restaurant within months.
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But the group's legal representative, Slater & Gordon Lawyers, has indicated it will not yet launch court action against the Copa Brazilian Churrasco restaurant over the mass poisoning.
Slater & Gordon associate Liam Casey said the firm intended to try to resolve the cases in bulk settlement conferences out of court ''to ensure that the matters are dealt with consistently and to limit any inconvenience to our clients''.
''We do not see any advantage in commencing court proceedings at this point in time, as we are confident of being in a position to resolve the matters favourably for our clients in the near future, without having to take that step.
''We will be in a position to commence negotiations with the solicitors for the Copa's insurer once we hold the documents held by ACT Health regarding the investigation, which we anticipate will be made available shortly.''
Fifteen patrons were hospitalised and about 162 cases of gastroenteritis were reported after salmonella-tainted raw-egg mayonnaise was served at the The Copa in May last year.
One day during the outbreak was reported to be Canberra Hospital emergency department's second-busiest in its history.
The restaurant removed all products containing raw eggs from the menu, shut voluntarily for a brief period, and apologised.
The Copa is already subject to legal proceedings over the outbreak, after 77 patrons launched what is believed to be the largest civil action involving food poisoning in Canberra's history.
Plaintiff lawyers Aulich Civil Law filed papers in the ACT Supreme Court on Wednesday, claiming damages for personal injury.
The documents allege the restaurant failed in its duty to take reasonable precautions for its patrons' health, to ensure food was fit for consumption, and to have in place measures to guard against the supply of contaminated food.
The group claimed past and future economic loss from missing work and out-of-pocket expenses, including medical treatment.
The lawsuit will be served to the restaurant in the coming week.
The Copa will then be given time to file a defence.
Its lawyers, Moray and Agnew Lawyers, declined to comment.
