How to Avoid Food Poisoning-related Injuries this Holiday

Meats such as turkey, ham and pork are a part of beloved holiday traditions in many of our homes. However, an article in The Washington Post states that since many of us cook these types of food only once or twice a year, we run a higher risk of preparation and cooking mistakes that may not only compromise taste, but also cause food poisoning.

Food Poisoning Statistics
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in six Americans or 48 million people get sick as a result of food-borne illnesses every year; 128,000 are hospitalized; and 3,000 die of food poisoning. Norovirus, salmonella, E.coli and listeria are some of the common pathogens that cause food poisoning. The most common symptoms of food poisoning include stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and sometimes, fever. Serious cases of food poisoning could result in catastrophic effects such as kidney damage. Some serious food poisoning cases could even result in death.
Preventing Food Poisoning this Holiday
There are several precautions you can take to ensure that you and your guests don’t get sick from your holiday meal:
• Choose the right meats. If you are picking up from a refrigerated case at the supermarket, do not take the one that is sitting on top. That one may not be well refrigerated.
• Store the meat properly. For example, for a fresh turkey stored in the refrigerator, plan to use it within one or two days. A frozen turkey could last up to a year in the freezer.
• Avoid rinsing poultry and fish before cooking because it can splatter contaminated droplets of water in your sink and kitchen countertops leading to cross contamination.
• Cook it well. Use a meat thermometer to ensure that your meat is well done.
• Do not prepare food for others if you are sick.
• Be especially careful if you are cooking for children, pregnant women, those in poor health or older adults.
• Report suspected food-borne illnesses to your local health department.
Rights of Food Poisoning Victims
If you or a loved one has suffered health complications as a result of food poisoning, please contact the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm who can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: Washington Post

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