Instances of food allergies are a growing problem in the United States.

In 2007, about 3 million children were reported to have a food or digestive allergy, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology - an increase of 18 percent in the last decade.

When adults are counted, millions more suffer from a food allergy - sometimes such allergies are life-threatening. Three million people in the United States are allergic to peanuts and 6.5 million are allergic to seafood, either of which is known to cause life-threatening allergic reactions.

As many as half the cases of anaphylaxis in emergency rooms, a potentially deadly allergic reaction, are the result of a food allergy.

In some cases, restaurants and food processors can be held liable if they serve you a dish containing an ingredient to which you are allergic after being notified of the allergy or if their product is mislabeled and contains and allergic ingredient of which you are unaware.

In other cases, companies have distributed knowingly contaminated products, for which they can be held strictly liable.

The nationwide outcry over the salmonella at Georgia's Peanut Corporation of America put the entire country on notice: You cannot rely upon the government to police corporations who are determined to put profits before the welfare of customers and the unsuspecting public.

In that case, which sickened more than 600 and killed at least 6, the company was accused of intentionally using peanuts that had tested positive for salmonella.

Lawsuits involving food safety, food borne illnesses and food allergy involve complex areas of law and often require extensive investigations, expert witnesses, scientific evidence and dealing with large corporations and government regulatory agencies.

If you or someone you love has suffered food-safety related injury, contact the Law Offices of Commander+Pound for a free appointment to discuss your rights.

Serious Lawyers+Serious Injuries=Serious Results