NEW YORK CITY FOOD POISONING ATTORNEY

WHAT EXACTLY IS “FOOD POISONING?”

Food poisoning, also known as foodborne illness, occurs when individuals become sick from consuming contaminated food. The food usually contains some sort of bacteria or virus that then leads to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, and/or fever. Some of these bacteria include but are not limited to e. Coli, listeria and norovirus. Foods known to be susceptible to these sorts of bacteria are meat, dairy products, poultry, and leafy greens such as spinach. While some cases are minor, resulting in mild discomfort over a period of a few days, more serious cases can lead to hospitalization or even death. People with weak immune systems such as young children, the elderly or the ill have greater chances of facing a difficult recovery after going through food poisoning.

FOOD POISONING CASES ARE CHALLENGING

You need an expert New York City food poisoning attorney because these cases are complicated for several reasons:

1. Symptoms can appear a few hours or even days later, making it difficult to pinpoint the food item causing the discomfort;
2. The symptoms are similar to other illnesses such as the flu or  a stomach virus;
3. Before the food gets to your stomach, it usually has to go through many hands- (the producers, the distributors, etc.) so it can be quite an arduous task to find out where exactly the food was mishandled and who is actually responsible.

Your case can be strengthened if:

1. Anyone else who ate the same food as you also fell ill;
2. If there has been some sort of safety recall on the product that you consumed;
3. You had to seek the services of a hospital or doctor and a stool sample confirms the presence of the bacteria;
4. You have leftovers of the meal that can be tested to confirm the presence of the bacteria

To determine the true value of your case, a New York City food poisoning attorney will take several factors into consideration:

1. The extent of injuries: The amount of time you are left feeling ill and the severity of the illness comes into play when determining the value of your case. A case in which a victim requires hospitalization or suffers from symptoms that last for several weeks would demand greater recovery than someone who experiences diarrhea for a day.
2. Lost time from work: Depending on the severity of the food poisoning, some individuals may not only lose days from work but also may not be able to return to their previous vocation. Loss of future earning potential comes into play.
3. Pain and Suffering: In New York, juries are allowed to place a monetary value on the pain and suffering that stems from food poisoning. This extends beyond the physical impact, to include emotional trauma.
4. Clear Causation: Multiple reports of food poisoning stemming from one source, hospital records, and safety recalls all help to establish causation.

REACH OUT TO A NEW YORK CITY FOOD POISONING ATTORNEY TODAY

If you are suffering from food poisoning, after seeking medical help, reach out to an attorney right away. Here at Wittenstein & Wittenstein, we have over 60 years of dealing with food poisoning cases. Call 718-261-8114 today for a free consultation.