Like millions of Americans across the country, many Stamford residents have food allergies. While some people with food allergies experience relatively minor side effects when exposed to an allergen, others must deal with the risk of developing life-threatening symptoms. People with allergies often have to be cautious ordering food at restaurants, and parents of children with allergies need to be able to trust that the school takes food allergy issues seriously.
If you believe you or your family member was wrongfully exposed to an allergen, you might have grounds to pursue a personal injury lawsuit. A Stamford food allergy lawyer at Berkowitz Hanna can help you better understand your legal options.
Most restaurants today try to reduce the chance of food allergies by implementing preventative measures in their kitchens and dining rooms. Unfortunately, sometimes mistakes still occur. A waiter might not listen to a customer’s disclosure of their allergy or forget to write it down and notify the kitchen. Waiters might accidentally serve the wrong meal containing a dangerous ingredient to someone with an allergy. Other times, errors happen in the kitchen when cooks cross-contaminate dishes by allowing allergens to come into contact through utensils or by preparing a food allergy meal right next to food with allergens.
A seasoned legal team can investigate the circumstances of the exposure to see who might bear liability. An experienced Stamford food allergy attorney can meet with the restaurant’s cooks and waitstaff and review the company’s training procedures to learn how they deal with allergies and if they have reasonably safe preventative measures to keep patrons with allergies safe.
When it comes to children with severe allergies, there is often a great deal of fear when the child is not with their parents. At home, parents can control what kinds of food their child is around. They can prevent cross-contamination by buying only safe foods. When parents must send their child to daycare, school, or camp, they lose that feeling of control.
At school, their child will eat around other children. Parents should be able to feel secure in the knowledge that their child will be safe from exposure. The school should have a policy that prevents cross-contamination in the kitchen. They should also have an allergy table in the cafeteria to ensure that children with deadly peanut allergies do not sit next to someone who is eating a peanut butter jelly sandwich. In the event a child does suffer exposure to an allergen, the school should be ready to act promptly. The school should establish a secure protocol to ensure that an exposed child receives medicine, such as an antihistamine or an epinephrine injection, as soon as possible.
A knowledgeable Stamford attorney can investigate the circumstances of a child’s allergic reaction at school to determine how it happened and if there is anything that the school could have done to prevent it. They can also examine the actions of the school officials after the exposure to see if they acted reasonably and competently.
Food allergies are scary. However, people with these allergies should not have to be afraid of dining in public. They should be able to trust that restaurants will adhere to safe practices that will keep cross-contamination and other problems from occurring. They should also be able to trust that schools will look out for their children to prevent unnecessary exposure. If their child does get exposed, parents should have confidence that the school will treat their allergic reaction appropriately.
If you or your loved one suffered a severe allergic reaction because of someone else’s negligence, you should be aware of your legal options. Contact a Stamford food allergy lawyer at Berkowitz Hanna to set up your free initial consultation. We will listen to your case, answer your questions, and help you determine your next steps.
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