Can I sue a restaurant for food poisoning?

set table in restaurant

Is there anything better than catching up with friends over a nice meal? Whether you try a new location or go to a tried-and-true favorite, you’ll likely enjoy your lunch or dinner. However, when you wake up the next morning, you may regret eating it. After a trip to the doctor, you discover you’ve come down with food poisoning due to the meal you ate. However, when this leads to high medical expenses and missing time from work, you may want to seek financial compensation from the restaurant. Keep reading to learn whether or not you can file a lawsuit and how personal injury attorneys can help you.

What is food poisoning?

When you eat contaminated food, it’s likely that you will contract food poisoning. Generally, this is caused by bacteria like salmonella or a virus like norovirus.

Food can become contaminated in a number of ways. This includes improperly storing food, failing to leave cooked food out for too long, not washing hands before preparing the dish, or cross-contamination, among other causes.

Though most instances of food poisoning are mild, meaning you can recover at home, this is not always the case. Unfortunately, the symptoms of this illness include diarrhea, vomiting, and loss of appetite, all of which can lead to dehydration. If someone cannot replenish their fluids fast enough, they may suffer more severe illnesses and conditions, such as seizures or kidney failure.

Am I eligible for compensation?

If you can link your illness directly to the food at the restaurant, you will be eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, you must be diagnosed with food poisoning and have suffered harm as a result.

Pursuing an illness-related personal injury case is more complex than traditional lawsuits. If you have food poisoning, you’ll need to be tested to determine the cause of the illness. In the event that a bacteria caused the sickness, its DNA will be tested against the food, equipment, and surfaces in the restaurant to determine if the same bacteria is on the premises. If it is, then your illness can be easily linked to the eatery. Similarly, testing any leftover food can help provide a direct link.

Unfortunately, food poisoning can have severe and, in some cases, deadly consequences. If you’ve incurred high hospital bills, lost wages from time spent off of work, and endured pain or suffering as the result of contaminated food at a restaurant, you’ll want to contact an attorney who can fight for the compensation you deserve.

At Friedman Schuman, our legal team covers a wide variety of personal injury cases. As such, we’re ready to help you receive justice for the sickness you’ve endured. Contact us today to learn how our firm will work tirelessly to fight for the compensation you deserve.

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