Personal Injury Law

Family Files Lake County, Illinois Injuries to Children Lawsuit After 2-Year-Old Touches Snake at Serpent Safari and Contracts Salmonella

The family of the toddler who became ill with salmonella after touching a snake at a Gurnee reptile zoo on December 14, 2007 has filed a Lake County, Ilinois injuries to children complaint. They are seeking over $50,000 in damages from Serpent Safari.

According to the Lake County personal injury lawsuit, Trevor Wirtz was hospitalized and diagnosed with salmonellosis after visiting Serpent Safari. He passed the salmonella on to his grandmother, Judith Penoyer. She also was hospitalized for the infection.

The McHenry County family claims that the Gurnee zoo was negligent when it failed to let visitors know that they should clean their hands before and after touching the reptiles. They also say that Serpent Safari neglected to warn parents that kids younger than 5 and people with weak immune systems are at risk of getting salmonella from reptiles. The plaintiffs say that employees encouraged and allowed the toddler to touch the reptile. They also claim that Penoyer, who actively helps take care of Wirtz, sustained permanent and serious personal injuries and/or illnesses, both external and internal, because of the salmonella.

Salmonella
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 70,000 people contract salmonella from reptiles each year. People can get salmonella from snakes, lizards, turtles, ducklings, and baby chicks, cats, dogs, birds, farm animals, and horses if they don?t wash their hands after touching their feces. A person can also contract salmonella by eating food that is contaminated.

Young children, babies, cancer patients, people with HIV, and organ transplant patients, are at greater risk of developing salmonella. While symptoms typically include fever, diarrhea, and stomach aches, there have been cases where a person has developed more serious health complications from salmonella.

Lawsuit claims boy pets snake, gets salmonella, The Daily Herald, December 30, 2009

Snake at Gurnee's Serpent Safari sickened boy and caregiver, lawsuit claims, Chicago Tribune, December 31, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Salmonella Infections, KidsHealth

Salmonella Infection (salmonellosis) and Animals, CDC

Full post as published by Chicago Injury Attorney Blog on January 09, 2010 (boomark / email).