Alpharetta Personal Injury Attorney Blog

Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City is considered among the most excellent and renowned medical facilities in the United States. Having an excellent name, however, has never prevented mistakes from happening. This has proved true once again as a Mount Sinai Medical Center surgeon removed the wrong kidney from his patient. NBC News New York reported on the story, saying that the patient was a 76 year old man who had two diseased kidneys and that the second kidney was also subsequently removed. Because this patient had two bad kidneys the medical error may not have actually caused further harm to this patient. However, the surgeon was fired because these types of medical mistakes almost always cause serious injury and sometimes death and cannot be tolerated.

In July 2008 a Minneapolis hospital reported a medical mistake involving a cancer patient who suffered a similar fate when a surgeon there removed the wrong kidney. The Minneapolis surgeon said that he had been distracted because of beeper calls and other patients. In an Ohio hospital in 2012 a kidney intended for transplant was accidentally thrown away causing the entire transplant program at the hospital to be suspended.

Preventable Medical Mistakes Should Never Occur

These types of serious medical errors are known as "never events." According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services the term "never event" was coined in 2001 by Dr. Ken Kizer to refer to serious medical errors that should never occur such as wrong site surgery. Since then the list of serious preventable medical mistakes, or "never events", has been extended to cover additional medical mistakes that caused serious disability and death.

Even though the medical community says that these types of preventable medical mistakes are rare, it is estimated that they occur as many as 80 times a week according to American Medical News. Considering the thousands of medical procedures and surgeries that occur though out the country every day, may be 80 times a week can be called rare statistically, but it's not rare for the person who has it happen to them.

Continue reading "Surgeon Fired From New York City's Mount Sinai Medical Center after Medical Error" »

It can happen to any one of us as we go about our daily lives; suddenly, unexpectedly we are involved in a car accident. Do you know what to do after a car accident? Knowing what steps to take immediately after a car accident are important and can help prevent further injuries, speed up the claims process, and insure that you will receive fair and full compensation from the insurance companies for your losses. Knowing these things helps you to be prepared and being prepared is better than suddenly finding yourself in a situation feeling clueless.

What To Do After a Car Accident

First make sure everyone is ok and if medical help is needed call 911 - safety and medical care is most important immediately following a car accident. If possible move vehicles to the side of the road and keep people out of the roadway to avoid being hit by other passing vehicles.

Don't leave the scene of the accident even if it is minor, it is unlawful to do so and could leave you open to criminal liability as well as liability for the car accident.

Call the police and exchange personal and insurance information with the other parties involved especially if there is a lot of property damage and/or injury. Get the name and badge numbers of the responding police officers. Talk to any witnesses and get their contact information at the scene of the accident.

Call your insurance company to report the accident as soon as possible. Be truthful with your insurance company about the facts of the car accident. Lying to your insurance company can get you into trouble and might even result in their denial of coverage. Give your insurance company a copy of the police report which will point out which traffic laws were broken and by whom and who they cited as being the at fault driver.

Take pictures documenting the accident and any damage which can help you with your insurance claim. A picture can serve as evidence in the case of a dispute later. Most people carry cell phones with cameras now days making it easy to capture pictures of car accident damage. If you are one of the rare people who don't own a cell phone, an inexpensive disposable camera is a handy item to keep in your car's glove box.

Continue reading "DO's and DON'Ts After a Car Accident" »

School will soon be out all across the nation and many families are choosing to travel to and from their vacation destinations by car. The National Highway Safety Administration has some safe driving tips to help you plan your road trip to not only make it more enjoyable, but also help keep everyone safe from breakdowns and car accidents.

Georgia Personal Injury Attorney Recommends Following Safe Driving Tips

Pre-Vacation Checklist - Check your vehicle to make sure it is up to date on all maintenance, including checking tire pressure, fluid levels, the condition of belts & hoses, windshield wiper wear, lights, air conditioner performance. Have a tune up and fix, repair, or replace any parts that are showing wear or not performing well.

Plan Ahead for Children's Needs - First make sure your children, if applicable, have the properly fitted car seats, booster seats, or child restraints and require their use. Next, plan to have car games, books, handheld video games and/or other kinds of things that will keep them busy and content. One popular, inexpensive travel game scavenger hunt is one which children of all ages can enjoy. Not only will your children be happily occupied during a long trip, it is also safer to drive without the distraction of noisy, crying, or acting up children. Plan on periodic stops to let everyone, children included, stretch their legs and use bathroom facilities. If you do experience a problem with a child, pull off the road or into a rest stop to take any actions needed. Never try to discipline children while driving.

Employ Safe Driving Practices - Use your seatbelt and make sure all passengers are using theirs or, in the case of children, are appropriately restrained. Never drive impaired. Impaired driving includes anything which can take your attention away from driving safely such as drinking or eating while driving, talking or texting on a cell phone, adjusting the radio, using any type of electronic technology including GPS systems, drinking alcoholic beverages or using any drugs (even prescription drugs) which affect your driving ability. You should also avoid becoming fatigued. Driving while drowsy has been shown to be as bad as driving under the influence of alcohol. Have a co-driver to share the responsibility of driving, stop to rest, or plan on a shorter driving day.

Pre-Plan Your Route - Know the route you will be taking for your vacation. Allow for extra time for unexpected conditions like, traffic congestion, road work, detours, bad weather, and unfamiliar roads. By staying focused on driving safely and pre-planning how you will handle those unexpected distractions and conditions you can help keep yourself, your family, and others you share the road with, safe.

Continue reading "Safe Summer Driving - Practice These Summer Safe Driving Tips from NHTSA" »

Spring is here and school is winding down. Although children and adults ride bicycles almost year round, when school is out playtime and vacation time greatly increases the number of people out riding bicycles. Different groups concerned about bicycle safety gear up with campaigns for safe bicycling. The League of American Bicyclists is calls May "Bicycle Month" and Safe Kids USA goes a step further calling May "Safe Bicycling Month" and giving tips and recommendations to help prevent bicycle accidents.

Safe Kids USA believe the top bicycle safety tips to employ are

• Wear a helmet that has been correctly sized and fitted
• Always have adult supervision for children riding bicycles
• Children up to age 10 should have their bicycling restricted to sidewalks and paths
• Children should demonstrate they know the rules of the road
• Don't allow children to ride during low-light or dark conditions such as nighttime, in fog, or other low visibility conditions.
• Wear bright or reflective clothing and/or accessories to improve visibility for motorists
• Use a bicycle light and reflectors if riding in low light conditions is necessary

Head & Brain Injury Can be Reduced by 88% With Use of a Bicycle Helmet

According to research, bicycles (with the exception of motorized vehicles) account for more injuries to children than any other consumer product. One of the biggest problems contributing to severe injuries for bicycle riders is the fact that many children and adults continue to ride bicycles without a helmet. A severe head injury is the worst injury a bicyclist can sustain and is the most common cause of death for a bicyclist. This highlights the important of wearing a bicycle helmet. Helmets have been proven to protect the head in bicycle accidents reducing the risk of brain injury by as much as 88%.

Continue reading "May is Bicycle Safety Month - Help Prevent Bicycle Accidents in Your Town" »

A recent article in the online Health Day section of U.S. News and World Reports is an eye opener for parents and guardians who may have thought that it was ok to allow their underage children to have a drink at home. While most people associate teenage drinking and car accidents, 2010 federal research data has shown that 32% of underage drinking resulted in fatal car accidents, 30% in murder, 14% in suicide, 9% in alcohol poisoning, and 15% in other affects.

Parents may mistakenly believe that if they allow their kids to drink at home they won't be out drinking someplace else. They don't want their kids drinking and driving, but they don't believe they should not drink at all. They never take into account the effects of alcohol on kids beyond the home where it has been shown that kids who drink don't perform as well at school, have a higher pregnancy rate, and often become alcoholics later in life.

One Mothers Tragic Story of Allowing Underage Alcohol Use at Home

The thought that simply allowing our kids to experience drinking at home and not allowing them to drive after drinking is safe may need to be reevaluated. One mother who decided it did not hurt anything to let her son have an occasional drink at home experienced what no parent should ever have to, the tragic death of her son from alcohol poisoning.

Continue reading "Underage Drinking Has a Dark Side Which Goes Beyond DUI Car Accidents" »

According to research done by the American Automobile Association, 8 out of 10 drivers who are 65 and older regularly take 1 or more medications. While many medications can be taken safely with no adverse reactions that would impair driving, there are also many others which can cause problems for a driver such as drowsiness, blurred vision, loss of coordination, fainting, and confusion. Some medications taken alone do not present a problem, but when taken together with other medications can cause a drug interaction that might lead to drug impaired driving.

While statistics indicate that older drivers are less likely to drink and drive, they may inadvertently be putting themselves and others at risk by taking medications which impair driving. Older drivers should be sure to consult with their physician and/or pharmacist about their medications to help reduce the possibility of side effects and drug interactions that could lead to impaired driving and car accidents.

In Georgia Taking Prescription Drugs Can Result in a DUI

We are all aware that DUI, or driving under the influence is commonly used to refer to an individual who is charged with impaired driving while drunk or under the influence of drugs. However, most state laws do not differentiate between illegal, over-the-counter, or prescription drugs. If you are taking any kind of drug or medication and it impairs your driving ability and/or causes an accident, you can be charged with a Georgia DUI. Georgia code OCGA 40-6-391 makes it unlawful to drive under the influence of alcohol and drugs, including prescription drugs if it has impaired your ability to dive safely.

Since so many seniors regularly take medications they need to be sure that the prescriptions and over-the-counter medications they take will not affect their ability to drive safely. Many or our senior drivers are unwilling to give up the independence they have known for decades, but if it becomes apparent that their driving may endanger themselves or others by causing a car accident there are things they can do to still maintain some independence. They can use public transportation (busses, trains, subway), taxi cabs, senior shuttle busses or vans, walk, and sometimes ride with friends and family.

Anyone who takes prescription medication, especially seniors who may have multiple prescriptions, can take steps to help reduce the possibility of driving impaired. Some of these steps include;

• Read the fine print on your prescription label for warnings like "do no us while operating heavy machinery, or driving"
• Ask your doctor about the medications being prescribed, their affects, and other over-the-counter drugs and foods that should be avoided
• Inform your doctor if you drink alcohol or take any other non-prescription medcines
• Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about any side effects your medication could have on safe driving
• Never stop taking any medication without checking with your doctor first
• If it is apparent that any medication makes you feel drowsy or disoriented do not drive
• Be careful when starting a new medication, some symptoms and side effects may disappear after your body has adjusted to them
• Use alternate methods of transportation

Continue reading "Prescription and Over-the-counter Meds Can Impair Seniors Driving Ability" »

554,000 Recalled LED Light Bulbs Sold Nationwide

The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall on one brand of popular LED light bulbs on March 19, 2013. The recalled light bulbs are 6, 8, or 9 watt LED bulbs sold under the names Definity, EcoSmart, Sylvania, and Westinghouse. About 554,000 light bulbs are affected by the recall. A detailed description of the recalled LED light bulbs along with the list of serial numbers involved can be found on the CPSC website.

The problem with the recalled LED light bulbs, according to the CDC, is that they can overheat and pose a fire hazard. So far there have been 68 reports of incidents of these light bulbs failing with some of the reports indicating there was fire damage to rugs/carpets, floors, circuitry, and a lamp. So far, fire & smoke damage has been limited and there have been no personal injuries reported. If you have any of the recalled LED light bulbs you are advised to remove them immediately and contact the Light Science Group for replacement light bulbs.

The Light Science Group of Satellite Beach, Florida is the importer of the recalled LED light bulbs which are manufactured in China although a small number of these bulbs undergo a final assembly in Mexico and Florida.

Defective Light Bulbs Pose a Serious Risk of Personal Injury

There has been a big push in the last few years to change out the ordinary incandescent bulbs we have used for generations since Edison developed the first commercially viable light bulb. The push has been on for a money saving light bulb that would use less electricity, give good lighting and would have a longer life. Now days we are able to choose between halogen, CFL's, and LED light bulbs. Each type of bulb has its pros and cons depending upon the type of light we want or need, price, and cost of use.

Continue reading "LED Light bulbs Recalled After Reports of Fire Damage to Homes" »

4 Organ Transplant Patients Received Rabies Infected Organs from One Donor

A recent article in the New York Times health section on March 15, 2013 raises serious concerns about the safeguards used to procure healthy human organs for transplant. Recently 4 organ transplant recipients received organs from a donor who, it was later discovered, had died of undiagnosed rabies. One organtransplant recipient died of rabies after his kidney transplant and 3 others who received organs from the same donor are now undergoing rabies treatment.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta investigated the death and, according to the story by NBC News, their laboratory analysis confirmed that the rabies infected organ donor and the organ recipient both had the same raccoon type rabies virus. The CDC's genetic testing can reveal what strain of virus has infected someone and whether it directly infected someone else.

The CDC is also working to identify people in 5 states (FL, GA, IL, MD, and NC) who had been in close contact with the deceased organ donor to see if they may be in need of rabies post-exposure treatment. According to the CDC it is possible to become infected with rabies unknowingly. It can be transmitted through saliva.

3 Organ Transplant Patients Died in 2004 From Rabies Infected Transplant Organs

In 2004 at Baylor University in Texas, 3 patients received rabies infected transplant organs and died. Hundreds of individuals who had been in contact with both the donor and the recipients needed rabies post-exposure treatment. An infectious disease doctor with the CDC stated that up until this time, this had never happened before. At that time the story was reported on by CNN Health.

Potential organ donors in the United States are tested for certain viruses, bacteria, and other infections (including HIV, syphilis, west nile virus, parasites) but they are not screened for rabies, herpes, Creutzfeldt Jakob disease (a deadly brain disease), cytomegalovirus, and a number of different bacterial and fungal infections. All of these viruses, bacteria, and infections have been known to cause infections in organ transplant patients in the past.

Continue reading "Is There a Case for Medical Negligence When Diseased Transplant Organs Cause Death?" »

World Class Danish Restaurant Responsible for Poisoning 63 Guests

The National Monitor recently ran a story about a famous world-class restaurant that suddenly found itself in the spotlight not for its excellent cuisine, but for poisoning 63 guests who became ill with diarrhea and vomiting after eating there. Guests became ill between February 12 through February 16, 2013. The Danish restaurant Noma has been named "Best Restaurant" 3 times by Restaurant Magazine and earned 2 stars from the Michelin Guide which publishes in over a dozen countries. When a world class restaurant is responsible for causing illness in their patrons, it gives one pause to consider what is possible in restaurants worldwide.

The illness is consistent with and believed to have been caused by the norovirus. After investigating this outbreak of food illness, officials with the Danish Food Administration believes the outbreak may be due to poor hygiene and traced back to a kitchen employee who failed to wash his hands properly. At the same time the outbreak was causing the restaurant guests to become ill, several kitchen staff also reported that they became ill.

The norovirus is contagious and is the most common cause for gastroenteritis (stomach and intestine infection from bacteria and/or virus) in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. The Mayo Clinic says that people suffering from acute gastroenteritis, often called stomach flu, have been infected with the norovirus which can spread through contaminated food or water and contact with an infected person. Simple hand washing is the best prevention to stopping transmission of stomach flu caused by the norovirus.

70,000 Hospitalizations and 800 Deaths Every Year in the U.S. from the norovirus

According to the CDC the norovirus causes 21 million illnesses and is responsible for approximately 70,000 hospitalizations and 800 deaths every year in the United States. Restaurant food contamination by a food worker who is ill could easily be prevented if the worker simply practiced good hygiene and washed their hands. For most people it's no fun to suffer from the stomach flu but they eventually do recover. However, this is a serious, life threatening illness for infants, young children, the elderly, the disabled, and those who may have a weak immune system such as a person with HIV or someone undergoing chemotherapy or any type of treatment that lowers their resistance.

Continue reading "Have You Become Ill After Eating at a Restaurant?" »

Going about our daily routines, most Americans would not think twice about the safety of many of the items they use daily to accomplish simple tasks in their homes. One of these items would be the simple step stool used to reach items which are just out of reach in the kitchen or other areas of the home and garage. Unfortunately there are a number of recalls every year for step stools and ladders which are recalled for having caused serious injury from falls. The falls were caused because the step stools or ladders had design flaws or were constructed of materials which were defective and did not meet the requirements demanded of the product.

CPSC Recalls Defective Step Stool After Reports of Injuries

The Consumer Product and Safety Commission and Cramer LLC released an announcement on February 14, 2013 of another unsafe step stool that is being recalled. It is the Task*It 1-Up folding step stool and it has already been responsible for 14 reported falls due to the step stool developing cracks and breaking.

Of the reported injuries, 2 were serious and involved head, neck and back pain. The Task*It 1-Up step stool is not very high off the ground, only 11 ½ inches high, but even short falls can present a significant danger, especially for older and more fragile individuals.

Cramer LLC produced about 6,500 of these Task*It 1-Up step stools and they were sold between January 2012 and December 2012 in stores like SP Richards, United Stationers, and Staples nationwide. They were also sold online at Amazon. These step stools were gray plastic and according to the USPC have 9.5 by 14.5 top step with two of its 11.5 in legs that fold inward for easy storage. The top step has black rubber tread with an asterisk symbol and the Task*It name is on the legs. If you have one of these step stools the CPSC says you should stop using it immediately and contact Cramer LLC to obtain a free replacement stool.

Falls Are the Most Common Cause of Traumatic Brain Injuries

According to a report by the Center For Disease Control in Atlanta, falls can cause moderate to severe injuries such as hip fractures and head injuries especially to older adults and can also increase the risk of early death to these individuals. Falls are the most common cause of serious brain injuries with traumatic brain injuries accountable for 46% of fatal falls in older adults. Although our older family members are more vulnerable to injury from falls, no one is immune and even younger people can suffer broken bones and head injuries, especially if they fall into or onto another hard object or floor.

Continue reading "Defective Step Stool Recalled by the CPSC for Causing Fall Injuries" »

Dangerous Children's Products Found in Many Retail & Thrift Stores

The Consumer Product Safety Commission and many other organizations across the nations work diligently to help identify products, warn consumers and remove unsafe and dangerous children's products from the marketplace. Every year many children are seriously injured and some die because of poorly designed and tested children's products and toys or items which turn out to be defective or have some ingredient, like lead paint, which is harmful to babies and small children.

Kids in Danger released a report on February 13, 2013 about children's product recalls in 2012. They found that although there was a decline of product recalls in 2012 there was a rise in injuries and deaths. Some of the findings in the report included information such as;

• 1/3 of recalls were for nursery products for the most vulnerable - infants and toddlers
• There were 1,232 reported incidents from one item, The Flexible Flyer Swing Set, before consumers were alerted
• 8 children & 1 adult died from dangerous products such as the Nap Nanny, Chill Infant Recliners, crib tents, travel beds, strollers and an inflatable water slide before they were recalled.
• Sleep products seem to pose the highest risk hazard and were associated with 7 deaths
• The CPSC collected over $3 million dollars in fines from companies who violated safety standards and failed to report hazards

Some Manufacturers Continue to Ignore Safety Standards for Children's Products

Manufacturers continue to make products which violate well-established safety standards, according to the report by Kids in Danger. These violations include clothing not adhering to flammability standards, parts that are too small, products containing lead paint, and drawstrings on clothing known for years to cause a strangulation hazard and specifically prohibited by the CPSC.

Additionally there are many unsafe and dangerous children's products in thrift stores and re-sale shops. Many of these children's products, which were handed down and donated over the years, do not meet current safety standards for children's products or toys. They may contain lead or other dangerous chemicals and/or have defective designs or defective materials. The CPSC says that it is against the law for anyone, including thrift stores and re-sale shops to sell any unsafe or dangerous products which have been recalled.

Continue reading "Dangerous Children's Products Still in Marketplace Despite New Safety Regulations" »

Extended Power Outages Can Result in Food Spoilage

People & businesses across the nation have been dealing with the many severe storms this 2013 winter. It seems that every few days another line of severe weather caused by cold air from the north running into moist tropical air from the tropics creates severe weather conditions which results in major property damage and loss of electrical power for many hours if not days. One impact of this severe weather, the loss of electric power, can be problematic for food safety. That is because there are many foods which need refrigeration at optimal levels in order to keep them free from bacteria and other contaminants. When the power is out, time is of the essence in keeping many foods safe for consumption.

The United States Department of Agriculture issued recommendations on February 8, 2013 with guidelines to help minimize and/or prevent food borne illness. These guidelines were issued because of the major severe winter storms that continue to cross our country and leave thousands without power for extended periods of time. Food borne illness causes about 48 million illnesses each year and about 3,000 deaths in the United States alone according to the USDA.

While this information is primarily intended for individuals and families to secure their own food safety, it is important to remember that many food distributors, retailers, and restaurants will also be affected by power outages. These businesses are responsible for the safety of the food they distribute, sell, and serve and can be held liable if through negligence or carelessness their food products cause a serious illness, such as food poisoning, for anyone.

FDA Has Program For the Food Industry Designed to Help With Food Safety

The Food and Drug Administration has a program called the Retail & Food Service Hazard Analysis and Critical Food Points (HACCP), which offers specific food safety information to assist the food industry in providing safe food for consumers. HACCP is just one tool that is useful in helping keep our food supply safe in conjunction with good manufacturing practices, sanitation, and personal hygiene. The HACCP system involves making sure perishable food is kept safe starting with getting it quickly into refrigeration at the time of delivery, keeping it at the proper level of refrigeration, proper sanitation and housekeeping in the kitchen. It also involves making sure food handlers do something as simple as proper hand washing.

Continue reading "Winter Storms & Severe Weather Can Affect Food Safety & Possible Foodborne Illness" »

The assistant vice president of Liberty Mutual Insurance in Boston, Jim Quade, was recently interviewed by Fox Business News about what is important to consider when selecting car insurance coverage.

His advice was to buy enough car insurance coverage to protect your assets. You don't want to skimp on the premium and wind up losing the coverage you may need. The minimum car insurance coverage required in most states may not be enough, in the event of a serious car accident and/or a multiple car accident, to cover the costs of bodily injury and property injury. This is especially true when you consider skyrocketing medical costs, the possibility of rehabilitation, lost wages, expensive vehicles, and more.

If bodily injury and property damage costs exceed the coverage in your insurance policy, the injured party may file suit against you seeking to recover damages not covered by your policy. It is at this point that any compensation they are awarded you would have to pay out-of-pocket, putting your assets at risk.

Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in Georgia

The minimum car insurance requirements in Georgia are 25/50/25. The first number 25, is the maximum amount of bodily injury coverage for one person in an accident ($25,000). The second number 50, is the maximum amount of bodily injury coverage for one accident ($50,000). The third number 25, is for the maximum amount of property damage liability per vehicle ($25,000).

If you are a young driver and do not have a lot of assets to protect, you will still will want to have enough medical coverage to protect yourself for any serious injuries you receive. Choosing the right car insurance is important? Sit down with a professional insurance provider and discuss what insurance coverage level will protect you and your assets in the event of a serious car accident.

How insurance coverage protects assets is best discussed and worked out between you and your car insurance provider. If you are ever in a serious accident you will want to have sufficient coverage to take care of any accident injury claims while protecting yourself from any out-of-pocket expenses.

Continue reading "Having the Right Car Insurance Protects Your Assets in the Event of a Serious Car Accident" »

It was not that long ago that an investigation into consumer fraud uncovered a major problem in the seafood industry that had the potential of putting the health of many people at risk. That investigation reported on by ABC news back in October 2011 indicated that as much as 48% of fish tested that was for sale in stores and restaurants, was incorrectly labeled and was in fact, a less expensive variety. The fish was mislabeled as a more expensive species of fish and fetched a higher retail price. In effect, the less costly fish was being sold at a much higher profit margin as a more expensive and desirable fish. A new report on mislabeled seafood in December 2012 by CBS indicates that this problem is still ongoing.

While this finding at first glance is of concern as a consumer fraud, it is of much greater concern in that it can put many people at risk of serious health issues and possibly even death. People with seafood allergies, small children, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems can become very sick, some individuals may even die if they have been exposed to any seafood to which they are allergic or experience severe health complications because of a compromised immune system. Some of the mislabeled seafood was known to be contaminated with Mercury putting pregnant women and small children at risk.

Consumer Research Indicates Common Grocery Items May Be Mislabeled

Now consumer research groups have reported that their investigations have uncovered many regular grocery items whose food labels do not accurately reflect what is in the package. If the price of a food item seems too good to be true it is not far-fetched to be suspicious that it might not be everything it is supposed to be. According to the FDA, some of the food items which consumers should be cautious about include:

• Pomegranate juice - labeled 100% juice was found to often contain other fruit juices and sugar water
• Olive oil - found to be diluted with less expensive vegetable oils
• Spices - saffron, turmeric, and chili powder found diluted or replaced with less expensive spices/fillers
• White tuna - often found to be less expensive Escolar known to contribute to a type of food poisoning
• Lemon juice, fruit juices, jams - foreign produced products found contaminated with chemicals to make them look fresh squeezed
• Honey, maple syrup - found high fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners used to enhance sweetness
• Coffee, Tea - found with fillers added to ground coffee & teas to increase volume

Continue reading "Fraud & Negligence in the Food Industry Can Put Consumers Health at Risk" »

16 Cases of Salmonella Food Poisoning Reported Across 5 States

The FDA issued 2 separate press releases on January 25, 2013 announcing over one thousand pounds of recalled ground beef which is believed to have been the source of at least 16 cases of food poisoning from Salmonella contamination. The Salmonella outbreak has caused sickness spread over 5 states.

The likely source of the Salmonella contamination was traced to 2 different retail stores in Michigan; Jouni Meats in Sterling Heights and Gab Halal Foods in Troy, Michigan. Of the 16 cases, 7 of the people sickened reported that they had eaten kibbeth at a Michigan restaurant but the other 9 people were from Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa and had no association with that restaurant. The FDA Food Safety Inspection Service did DNA testing on the infected people and confirmed that all of them were infected with the same strain of Salmonella.

The people who became ill reported the onset of their illnesses from December 9 through January 7. It is important to note that symptoms of Salmonella infection can take as long as 2 to 3 weeks for people to report from when the first symptoms appear. The most common symptoms of Salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever and can last from 5 to 7 days. Most healthy individuals can withstand a case of food poisoning, albeit they are sick and very uncomfortable. But infants, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems (those with HIV, organ transplants, chemotherapy patients, etc.) are more likely to become seriously ill and are at risk of dying.

Two of the Salmonella Food Poisoning Victims Have Retained a Personal Injury Attorney

So far no one who was infected from the Salmonella tainted ground beef has died. Two of the food poisoning victims, Mary Ann Thomas of Sterling Heights, Michigan and her sister required hospitalization after they had eaten kibbeh which they thought had been made with raw lamb. According to coverage in the New York Daily News, after becoming ill they discovered that the kibbeh had been made with the uncooked Salmonella tainted ground beef. They have sought the services of a personal injury attorney and are seeking damages.

Continue reading "Salmonella Scare Prompts FDA Recall of Over One Thousand Pounds of Ground Beef" »