Archive for September, 2016

Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys Answer Frequently Asked Questions About Food Recalls

Friday, September 30th, 2016

Whether you a vegetarian, a vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo or none of the above, one thing remains true—the safety of your food matters. While safe food sounds like a no-brainer, it seems impossible to find a food group that is truly safe. Not a day goes by when it feels like the media is announcing a new food recall for a different product. One day, it could over certain a vegetable, the next day over a dairy item and then prepared foods, pantry staples, and meat. It is important for all consumers to understand how food recalls work and how to keep yourself and family safe. The following are some of the most frequently asked questions Kansas City area residents have about food recalls:

Why is it that I hear about food recalls on almost a daily basis? There are two main reasons why consumers may feel like they hear about recalls on almost daily basis. First, the Food Safety Modernization Act requires that news outlets be made aware of any recalls. So if there is a recall in your area, your local news will alert you. Second, responsible manufacturers, the USDA, and the FDA want to try to protect the general public by alerting them of a potentially unsafe product.

What are the reasons that a product could be recalled? There are three main reasons why a food product may be recalled:

  • Allergen-related problem: A food may contain a known allergen, like milk, peanuts, shellfish, or wheat and the label may fail to advise consumers of the allergen. For example, this month 543 cases of banana nut muffins were recalled because the product was labeled as lemon poppy seed and contained undeclared walnuts.
  • Detection of a potential pathogen: Any time a product is found to pose health concerns. Recently, Kellogs recalled 10,000 cases of its Nutri-Grain Whole Wheat Waffles because the product is potentially contaminated with the Listeria bacteria.
  • Detection of a foreign substance: A product may be recalled if the item could contain foreign matter. Earlier this month 99,000 packages of bread products were recalled by their manufacturer because they potentially contained clear plastic pieces.

What should I do if I think that I have a recalled product in my refrigerator or freezer? The first thing you need to do is to make sure that the package of recalled food product that you have matches the recall. The recall notice will let consumers know the name of the product being recalled, and which specific packages are affected (as identified by production dates, case codes, sell by dates, etc.). For example, this month Tyson recalled chicken nuggets, but only for its “fully cooked panko chicken nuggets” that were sold in 5lb and 20lb packages with production dates of July 18, 2016, and particular case codes. Once you determine that the product in your fridge or freezer is in fact a recalled product, do not eat the product. Follow the recall notice for how to obtain a refund or replacement item. 

If you or a loved one became seriously ill after eating a product it is important to know that you may have legal recourse for the injuries you suffered. The attorneys at the Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. have helped countless injury victims, in both Kansas and Missouri, obtain compensation for their injuries. Our compassionate team of attorneys will make it a priority to fight for your rights and to hold then wrongdoers accountable. To schedule an initial consultation with one of our Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys, contact Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. today at (816) 472-4673. We look forward to meeting with you and helping you in your time of need.

Kansas City Injury Attorneys Offer Tips for Staying Safe This Halloween

Monday, September 5th, 2016

Now that it is officially fall let the countdown to Halloween begin! If you are a fan of this spooktacular holiday, and who is not, you have probably been planning for this year’s festivities since November 1st of last year! What makes Halloween such a great holiday is that it is not just for kids—grown-ups love to get in on the fun too! Come on, who does not like candy, costumes, and scary stories? While Halloween can be a great time for young and old alike, the key to having the most fun on Halloween is making sure everyone stays safe! The real scary stuff that can happen on October 31st has nothing to do with werewolves or the bogeyman—but accidents can and do happen. To make sure your crew has a fang-tastic time while keeping out of harm’s way, follow these tips:

  1. Do a test walk: Before your child heads out the door, make sure he or she can walk in his or her costume without tripping and falling.
  2. Make sure everyone can see and knows how to be seen: The two most important keys to being safe when out and about in the dark is to make sure that your little one can see out of his or her mask, and can be seen by cars. This means:

a. Stay on the sidewalks or grass, avoid walking in the street

b. Cross the street only at the corner or in a designated crosswalk

c. Put reflective tape on your child’s back, shoes, and trick-or-treat bag

d. Carry a flashlight to illuminate the path ahead and to alert motorist’s to your presence

e. Travel only in well-lit neighborhoods

  1. Travel in a group: One is not only the loneliest number it is also an unsafe number when it comes to going out and about on Halloween night. Remember, safety is in numbers so never let your children head out alone. Adults should also try to make sure that there is at least one grown-up for every child in case part of the group needs to head back early.
  2. Keep all furry critters inside: While you may want your pet to be part of the festivities, Halloween is not always the best night for four-legged friends. Large groups of kids shouting and door bells ringing non-stop can make any pet anxious—even those that love children. To keep everyone safe, keep your pet away from the entryway when answering the door for trick-or-treaters.
  3. Inspect before you ingest: Make it a rule that before your child eats any of his or her trick-or-treat candy that an adult must inspect it. Make sure to remove hard candy, gum and any other treats that may pose a choking hazard for little ones. Toss any candy that is not properly wrapped or looks suspicious.

If you or your child suffered a serious injury after being involved in a car crash, dog bite incident, pedestrian accident or products liability claim this Halloween; you can trust the experienced Personal Injury Attorneys at Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. to come to your aid. No matter your injury, our team of skilled Kansas City Injury Attorneys will work diligently to make sure that you receive proper compensation. Trust the Personal Injury Attorneys at Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. to support you, just as they have supported countless injured victims around the area, both in Kansas and Missouri. To find out how the attorneys at Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. can help you with your injury case, contact our office today at (816) 472-4673 to schedule a consultation. At Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. we make it our promise to provide injury victims with outstanding legal services.