Food Poisoning: What Are Your Legal Options?
Dining out or ordering takeout has become the norm for celebrating special occasions or when you’re too busy to cook at home. As customers, you expect food establishments to provide safe and delicious meals. Unfortunately, not all restaurants and their staff practice proper food preparation and storage, putting customers at risk.
How food poisoning happens
Food poisoning ultimately results from contamination, which can occur at various stages of food handling. Bacteria and viruses can infect food anywhere from delivery and preparation to cooking and serving. Even when restaurants take precautions, mistakes may allow contaminated or spoiled food to make its way onto your plate and into your mouth.
Most times, people can heal from food poisoning in a matter of days to a week. However, there are also severe cases where food poisoning can become fatal. If you or your loved ones get sick or die from eating a restaurant’s contaminated food, you could take your case to court.
Filing a food poisoning lawsuit
Restaurants have a duty of care to keep their customers safe, which includes following state safety regulations and health protocols. If a restaurant’s negligence or failure to handle food properly results in illness or death, customers have the right to hold them accountable for their actions.
Food poisoning symptoms can be so severe that it entails a visit to the hospital, resulting in costly medical bills and missed workdays. Filing a personal injury lawsuit for food poisoning can help victims recoup damages such as lost wages, medical expenses and emotional distress.
Though rare, food poisoning complications can result in death. Losing a loved one after enjoying dinner with them can bring immense pain and sadness that no amount of money can truly compensate for. However, pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit may help cover hospital and funeral expenses and provide some measure of justice.
Winning a food poisoning lawsuit is far from easy. Mere suspicions of unhygienic practices are not enough. As a victim, you will need solid and hard evidence to support your case. If you don’t know where to begin, a lawyer can help guide you through the legal process.