Chicago Injury Lawyer Blog

With salmonella concerns “triggering the recall of more than a half-billion eggs in more than a dozen states,” experts stand by their long-standing, and simple advice: run away from raw or runny eggs. (S. Reitz, AP, 8/25).

However, experts have also come up with food safety tips to keep cooks at home “in the kitchen and out of the hospital,” all the while still enjoy Eggs Benedict and Pasta Carbonara. As a personal injury lawyer, I encourage all consumers to follow these tips to avoid unnecessary hospital visits.

First, eggs remain fresh for approximately a month after purchased. Do not consume questionable eggs – eggs with cracked shells are a definite pass, but also those who have been sitting in the refrigerator for longer than you can remember.

Next, try to eat thoroughly cooked scrambled eggs and hard boiled instead of sunny side up. As for poached eggs, a little longer is better, and about 5 minutes in gently boiling water should keep salmonella at bay.

Finally, for those recipes that simply cannot work without a little raw egg, consider a pasteurized egg product. These products, usually sold in cartons near milk, have been gently heated to kill off any pathogens. Some food service professionals have switched to this safer alternative.

A recent stroller recall should put parents on alert, and as a products liability lawyer in Chicago I urge parents to act swiftly to ensure that the strollers they are using are safe. (AP, 8/20).

The Zooper Tango double stroller distributed by Lan Enterprices, LLC that was recalled this week, and “prompted nearly 200 reports about its tendency to collapse. Fortunately, no serious incidents are known to have occurred. The strollers had model numbers of SL808B and SL808F and were sold at retailers nationwide and through Babies R US from January 2007 through August 2008.”

The issue with the stroller regard the ‘latch above the front wheels can fail when the stroller hits an object, causing the stroller to unexpectedly collapse. This can result in minor scrapes, cuts and bruises.”

A recent outbreak of salmonella has been linked to Fido's Foods by a government report that warns, “Fido's food may be making kids sick.” (Lindsey Tanner, AP Medical, 8/9). The outbreak is the first one in humans linked to pet food. Between 2006 and 2008, the outbreak sickened nearly 80 people, nearly half of which were toddlers aged 2 and younger.

Although recognized less than it should be, “pet foods are a source of salmonella infections in humans, as at least six unrelated pet food recalls have been issued this year by manufacturers because of possible salmonella contamination,” according to Food and Drug Administration.

As a personal injury attorney, I encourage all parents to keep young children away from pet food

According to new research, bystanders are generally “willing to attempt CPR if an emergency dispatcher gives them firm and direct instructions - especially if they can just press on the chest and skip the mouth-to-mouth.” (M. Stobbe, AP Medical, 7/29). As two new studies “conclude that "hands-only" chest compression is enough to save a life, it is a good skill to acquire.

Although, the American Heart Association “has been promoting hands-only CPR for two years, it's not clear how much it's caught on.” Using the simpler technique can save “hundreds if not thousands” of lives each year.

Consider that an “estimated 310,000 Americans die each year of cardiac arrest outside hospitals or in emergency rooms…and only about 6 percent of those who are stricken outside a hospital survive,” hands only CPR could have a substantial impact on these figures. Research and experience suggest that when a person collapses and stops breathing, many people panic and believe dialing 911 is the best and only thing they can do to help. Phoning 911 is absolutely critical, but so is attempting hands only CPR. The recent studies suggest dialing 911 and having the dispatcher coach you through administering CPR.

As a personal injury attorney, I too support any measures that can save additional lives.

Although swimming pool safety has improved, all summer swimmers should swim with caution, and parents must pay close attention to their children. A heart-breaking story of a boy drowning led two Connecticut parents to spread the word about swimming pool safety. As
a personal injury attorney, I join them in their mission to keep kids safe while swimming.

Karen and Brian Cohn of Greenwich, Connecticut, who lost their 6 year old son, Zachary, in a swimming pool accident three years ago after his arm became trapped in a suction drain, are “campaigning for tougher laws and to raise awareness about the dangers that surround pools.” (J. Christoffersen ,AP, 8/2). The Cohns, formed The Zac Foundation in memory of their son Zac, have turned their efforts towards adamantly fighting what they say are “efforts to weaken pool safety laws.” Although a spokeswoman for the pool industry denies any efforts to weaken pool safety, I, like the Cohns, believe you can never be too safe, and one life lost is one life too many.