Illinois Parent
Member
What is the name of your state? Illinois
I have an extreme food allergy to MSG. In Nov. of 2003, while shopping at a store, we decided to try their restaurant. I first asked the line cook (knowing he would not know the answer) if they used MSG in the Swedish Meatballs. As he should, he immediately got the head line cook who said he didn't think so, but he would check. After spending about three minutes in the kitchen, he re-appeared, informing me he read the ingredients list and said there was no MSG in the Swedish Meatballs. I asked him how sure he was as I would have a severe allergic reaction, he responded he was positive.
Surprise, surprise, while eating the dish, I began to have a reaction. I initially thought I must be mistaken. Afterall, the guy read the list and he was absolutely certain. I thought I must be having a headache and visual distortion from being tired, perhaps I was coming down with something, or perhaps they pump oxygen into the store like they do in Casinos to keep people shopping longer. In other words, I was initially dismissing my symptoms.
Within 5 minutes, however, my fingers were swelling, as were my face and lips. At this point, I went back to the line cook and asked for the restaurant and store managers. As I was rather loud about it, they appeared almost instantly. I informed them that I was having an allergic reaction to the meal. They went back into the kitchen and reappeared almost immediately, saying the head cook had made a mistake. He only read the ingredients list on the meatballs and not on the gravy, the combination of which make "Swedish Meatballs". MSG was listed as the third ingredient in the gravy (which I had asked for 'extra' on the potatos).
They apologized profusely, asked if I had medication with me or did I need an ambulance. They then wrote down their names and store contact phone numbers, while I gave them my name and phone number. The only medication I had at the time was benadryl, which was in the glove box of my car. We literally RAN to the car, where I took 75mg, then proceeded to the emergency room where I received further treatment. Once it was apparent my airway was not going to be compromised (due to the initial, timely, high dose of benadryl), I was released to follow up with my GP.
The next day, a Sunday, I was still in pretty extreme pain and non-functional due to the swelling in my joints. My physician phoned in a prescription for pain killers and I was to see him in his office first thing Monday morning. On Monday, he also proscribed Prednisone, a steriod the emergency room doctor had declined to prescribe due to a recent history of a bleeding ulcer. My physician decided that due to the amount of swelling that still had not gone down with the use of other anti-imflammatories, the benefit of the steriod outweighed the risks.
Since then, I still have chronic joint pain, in addition to needing to carry an Epi-pen with me at all times. I no longer eat anything that I have not read the ingredients list myself. I am able to eat only in restaurants that I have had correspondance with, assuring me in writing which items do or do not have MSG. I am currently seeing an allergist to determine the level of my sensitivity (extreme) as well as the consequences of another allergic reaction. I am told that the next reaction may well prove fatal without immediate and extreme medical intervention.
Now, finally for the question. I am looking at suing the restaurant, actually the corporation that owns the restaurant. I have the receipt from the meal, the medical records as well as the names and phone numbers of the managers, in their writing. I am looking for help from anyone who may be aware of or have experience with this sort of suit. I do plan on hiring an attorney, but I am looking for referrals also. While the incident happened in Cook County in Illinois, the company is actually headquarted in Sweden, so I guess I would need an attorney with either the experience or the expertise to take on such a case. Also, I have no idea of what kind of damages should be filed for. Admittedly, my out of pocket expense has been minimal, as I have excellent health insurance. I guess my suit would be for current, ongoing and long term implications. That, and the fact that each allergic reaction 'raises the bar' and as a result of this one, I now face life-threatening consequences.
Any help or ideas here would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
I have an extreme food allergy to MSG. In Nov. of 2003, while shopping at a store, we decided to try their restaurant. I first asked the line cook (knowing he would not know the answer) if they used MSG in the Swedish Meatballs. As he should, he immediately got the head line cook who said he didn't think so, but he would check. After spending about three minutes in the kitchen, he re-appeared, informing me he read the ingredients list and said there was no MSG in the Swedish Meatballs. I asked him how sure he was as I would have a severe allergic reaction, he responded he was positive.
Surprise, surprise, while eating the dish, I began to have a reaction. I initially thought I must be mistaken. Afterall, the guy read the list and he was absolutely certain. I thought I must be having a headache and visual distortion from being tired, perhaps I was coming down with something, or perhaps they pump oxygen into the store like they do in Casinos to keep people shopping longer. In other words, I was initially dismissing my symptoms.
Within 5 minutes, however, my fingers were swelling, as were my face and lips. At this point, I went back to the line cook and asked for the restaurant and store managers. As I was rather loud about it, they appeared almost instantly. I informed them that I was having an allergic reaction to the meal. They went back into the kitchen and reappeared almost immediately, saying the head cook had made a mistake. He only read the ingredients list on the meatballs and not on the gravy, the combination of which make "Swedish Meatballs". MSG was listed as the third ingredient in the gravy (which I had asked for 'extra' on the potatos).
They apologized profusely, asked if I had medication with me or did I need an ambulance. They then wrote down their names and store contact phone numbers, while I gave them my name and phone number. The only medication I had at the time was benadryl, which was in the glove box of my car. We literally RAN to the car, where I took 75mg, then proceeded to the emergency room where I received further treatment. Once it was apparent my airway was not going to be compromised (due to the initial, timely, high dose of benadryl), I was released to follow up with my GP.
The next day, a Sunday, I was still in pretty extreme pain and non-functional due to the swelling in my joints. My physician phoned in a prescription for pain killers and I was to see him in his office first thing Monday morning. On Monday, he also proscribed Prednisone, a steriod the emergency room doctor had declined to prescribe due to a recent history of a bleeding ulcer. My physician decided that due to the amount of swelling that still had not gone down with the use of other anti-imflammatories, the benefit of the steriod outweighed the risks.
Since then, I still have chronic joint pain, in addition to needing to carry an Epi-pen with me at all times. I no longer eat anything that I have not read the ingredients list myself. I am able to eat only in restaurants that I have had correspondance with, assuring me in writing which items do or do not have MSG. I am currently seeing an allergist to determine the level of my sensitivity (extreme) as well as the consequences of another allergic reaction. I am told that the next reaction may well prove fatal without immediate and extreme medical intervention.
Now, finally for the question. I am looking at suing the restaurant, actually the corporation that owns the restaurant. I have the receipt from the meal, the medical records as well as the names and phone numbers of the managers, in their writing. I am looking for help from anyone who may be aware of or have experience with this sort of suit. I do plan on hiring an attorney, but I am looking for referrals also. While the incident happened in Cook County in Illinois, the company is actually headquarted in Sweden, so I guess I would need an attorney with either the experience or the expertise to take on such a case. Also, I have no idea of what kind of damages should be filed for. Admittedly, my out of pocket expense has been minimal, as I have excellent health insurance. I guess my suit would be for current, ongoing and long term implications. That, and the fact that each allergic reaction 'raises the bar' and as a result of this one, I now face life-threatening consequences.
Any help or ideas here would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks