Approximately 48 million people in the United States are hospitalized for food poisoning every year, and 2016 is no exception.

An E. coli outbreak at Carbon Live Fire Mexican Grill has affected at least 50 people in the Chicago area, according to the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH). At least 14 people who ate at the restaurant have been hospitalized.

Health officials urge anyone who ate at the restaurant and develops symptoms of an E.coli infection to seek medical attention. Common symptoms include abdominal cramping and diarrhea that can be bloody.

Those who need to see a doctor should also mention exposure to shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC), according to the CDPH.

A lawsuit has since been filed in connection with the E. coli outbreak. Attorneys from the national food safety law firm Pritzker-Olsen, who have been contacted by five of the 50 who became ill after eating at the restaurant, filed suit on behalf of Maria Terese Loparco, on July 8.

On June 25, Loparco ate two chicken tacos and two steak tacos from Carbon, according to the case. By June 30, she was experiencing gastrointestinal pain and flu-like symptoms, which had worsened to include bloody diarrhea. By the end of the day on June 30, the “diarrhea was pure blood,” according to her complaint.

Loparco was rushed to the Urgent Care center attached to Ingalls Family Care Center and later transferred by emergency vehicle to Ingalls Memorial Hospital.

“Based on what we know now, the Chicago Department of Public Health is closing in on the precise cause of this massive outbreak,” said Brendan Flaherty, the food safety lawyer representing Loparco.

Loparco is among at least 14 people who were hospitalized for E. coli infections after eating food from the restaurant.

“This is a serious condition that is treatable,” said CDPH Commissioner Julie Morita, M.D. “Anyone who believes they may be symptomatic and ate at this restaurant should see their medical provider immediately.”

A food source has not yet been identified. Other E. coli outbreaks have been linked to under-cooked beef, unpasteurized milk, and unwashed, raw produce. Those most at risk of developing an E. coli infection are younger children, seniors, and those with compromised immune systems.

Workers’ compensation laws and regulations have been an integral part of the American society for many years. They provide security and peace of mind, especially for workers in inherently dangerous environments, such as coal miners and factory workers. According to Inthesetimes.com, the state of Illinois could be facing some drastic changes to the policies currently in place, if Gov. Bruce Rauner is successful in the changes he’s pushing for.

One of the changes Rauner would like to see made is narrowing the scope of workers’ compensation coverage for employers by not including the “work histories” of employees. Traditionally, employers have assumed responsibility for the physical problems employees developed over years of toiling in manual and hard labor. Rauner wants to change this to require that a specific workplace injury account for at least 50% of a workers’ compensation claim.

In other words, it’s Rauner’s belief that this type of coverage is intended only for traumatic injuries, not those that come as the result of long-term, repetitive acts related to work, but that are also likely enhanced through day-to-day living. He believes this is the equivalent to asking employers to “pick up the tab” on non-workplace injuries.

While this may be true in some instances, opponents of his proposed changes argue that what he’s really trying to do is reshape and overhaul the workers’ compensation standards that have been on the books for years. According to the National Academy of Social Insurance, workers’ compensation pays 100% of medical costs for injured workers from the day of injury, and cash benefits for lost work time after a three- to seven-day waiting period.

“What the governor is proposing is to take a lot of cases that have been compensable for the last 50 years and to throw them out,” said John Burton, a veteran workers’ compensation industry expert.

Despite all the rhetoric, both sides appear to have good intentions, just different ways of viewing the world. Rauner argues that changing the laws will help promote business and the economy in general. He claims the current policies and associated high costs are helping to drive businesses out of Illinois. Proponents on the other side say that the type of changes Rauner is pushing for would be a big step back for the working person.

Whose side are you on? Sound off in the comments section below.