Food poisoning is much more common than people realise. With the temptations of numerous cafes and restaurants all around us, the danger of contracting food poisoning has increased rapidly. The impact of food poisoning can vary from being fairly minor to very serious, some cases even leading to fatality.
Food poisoning usually occurs after we eat or drink something that is infected with bacteria. Bacterial poisoning usually occurs when the food has not been heated, stored, or cooked properly. In addition, it can be caused by bad hygiene on the part of the chefs preparing the food. Failing to do simple things like washing hands or using clean utensils can all contribute towards causing food poisoning.
Symptoms of food poisoning
As everyone’s body reacts differently to food poisoning, there are no hard and fast rules on how soon you will become ill after contracting the bacteria. Some people become ill straight away, whilst others may take a few days. How ill a person gets will depend on how healthy the individual is, and the seriousness of the food poisoning itself. Some are able to recover quite quickly, whilst others take longer. Symptoms of food poisoning can vary from case to case, but usually involve vomiting, stomach upsets, dehydration, and fever. Usually these can be cleared up with the right medication. However, some of the more serious cases of food poisoning can lead to death.
Avoiding E-Coli poisoning
This type of bacteria lives in the lower intestines of healthy mammals. Once this bacteria is transferred to food it can cause food poisoning if ingested. This can be avoided by washing and cooking food thoroughly. Washing your hands after coming into contact with the food is also important to avoid transferring the bacteria to other food through touch.
Salmonella food poisoning
Salmonella is usually found in meat and poultry, eggs, and unpasteurised milk. It can also be found in untreated water and seafood. Similar to avoiding e-coli poisoning, it is important to heat food thoroughly. This is especially the case with meat. It is also necessary to wash hands thoroughly after handling the food to avoid transferring the bacteria to other food.
It is important you take these steps as once contracted, salmonella food poisoning is particularly hard to get rid of and has the potential of causing serious long-term health problems. The elderly are especially vulnerable as are the ones with a history of health problems.
Am I entitled to make a claim after suffering food poisoning?
If you suspect that your food poisoning was caused as a result of another person’s negligence, you may be entitled to make a personal injury compensation claim. You may even be entitled to compensation if you contracted food poisoning whilst abroad on a package holiday.
If you wish to make a claim you will need to provide us with supporting documents to help your claim. These can include any medical reports from your GP and relevant receipts from restaurants. Our solicitors will assess your case and help you in your claim.
Ayesha Salim , editor of the UK Lawyers Network, writes articles about accident claims, Personal injury Lawyer, accident claims, find a solicitor, legal, lawyer, law help advice, solicitors litigation
