Sabatini and Associates, LLC

According to the Human Factors quarterly journal, “Cell phone distraction causes 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries in the United States every year” (2005). The same study reported that motorists who are engaged in cell phone conversations while driving are less capable than drunk drivers with blood alcohol levels exceeding .08. With a greater awareness of the potential cell phones have to distract drivers, many states including Connecticut have adopted laws restricting the use of cell phones while driving.  Even in states and cities where there are no restrictions on cell phone use by motorists, using a cell phone that plays a factor in causing a car accident will be considered an act of negligence thereby holding the cell phone user liable for damages caused by the accident.

With the economy slumping and job losses mounting, more and more people are dirving without car insurance.  Acccording to a recent Wall Street Journal article, several hundred thousand drivers dropped their insurance in the past year as the jobless rate climbed, estimates a study to be released next month by the Insurance Research Council, an industry-funded group. Online agency Insurance.com says it also is seeing evidence recently of more uninsured motorists. It says that as many as 40% of callers following up on online applications had let their previous policies lapse, up from less than 10% a couple years ago.

What does this mean for Connecticut motorists?  It is more important than ever to make sure that you are fully insured in the event that you are injured in a car collision by someone without or with little insurance coverage.  This means that, at a minimum, ever motorist should have at least $300,000 in uninsured and underinsured motorists benefits coverage.  For even better security, ever motorist should double his or her uninsured and underinsured coverage and obtain conversion.  Conversion has been explained in an earlier personal injury blog post.

The FDA has announced that there have been at least 28 reports of consumers getting sick from ciguatera fish poisoning. The fish that were eaten were harvested in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The first reproted case was in November and outbreaks of the illness were confirmed in Washington D.C. and St. Louis.

Symptoms of ciguatera poisoning include nausea, vomiting, vertigo and joint pain. In the most serious cases, neurological problems can last for months or even years. Grouper, snapper, amberjack and barracuda are the biggest threat to consumers.

Ciguatera is common in fish living in tropical and subtropical regions, including the Caribbean Sea, the South Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. But the FDA has considered it rare for fish in the northern Gulf of Mexico to have the toxin.

The fish linked to the ciguatera poisoning were harvested near the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and the FDA is recommending that processors not buy the fish harvested near this sanctuary. The FDA is also warning processors to make sure their hazard control plans are up to date, because failure to take the proper precautions could cause their products to be considered adulterated. Consumers who think they may be ill due to ciguatera poisoning should consult a physician and report their illness to the local health department.

The Connecticut�personal injury law firm of Sabatini and Associates, LLC provides quality legal representation to clients in Hartford, Connecticut, and surrounding cities including: West Hartford, Newington, New Britain, Avon, Canton, Wethersfield, Glastonbury, East Hartford, Norwich, Granby, Rocky Hill, Bristol, Manchester, East Hartford, Plainville, Berlin, Farmington, Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Enfield and counties including New Haven County, Tolland County, Hartford County, New London County, Litchfield County and Fairfield County.

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