Food Poisoning Lawyer in Las Vegas

Food poisoning and foodborne illnesses affect millions of Americans each year. A mild form of one of these illnesses is uncomfortable but not dangerous, but a more serious form of illness could result in hospitalization or even death. When you or a loved one becomes seriously ill because of food poisoning obtained at a Las Vegas restaurant, you have options for recovering compensation.

At De Castroverde Accident & Injury Lawyers, we strive to ensure that our clients are treated fairly and receive the compensation they deserve. When it comes to food poisoning, you may think it’s easy to determine the cause of your illness. However, the process can be difficult, and if you ate at multiple locations, determining liability can take time. Our team can guide you through this process and determine what caused your illness. When you need a food poisoning lawyer in Las Vegas, we can help.

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What is Food Poisoning?

According to the Mayo Clinic, food poisoning occurs when one consumes food contaminated with bacteria, viruses, or parasites. The symptoms associated with food poisoning can occur within hours or take days before you notice any side effects. The most common side effects of food poisoning are:

Nausea
Vomiting
Watery diarrhea
Blood in stool
Abdominal pain
Fever

Generally, food poisoning will resolve on its own. However, if any of these symptoms become severe, then it may be necessary for the sick person to seek medical attention. Do not wait to seek medical assistance if you have severe problems, as some side effects of food poisoning can become life-threatening if left untreated.

How a Las Vegas Food Poisoning Lawyer Can Help

If you do not need to be hospitalized and your illness resolves in a few days, then you will not need legal assistance. However, if you suffer severe complications from foodborne illness, then a food poisoning attorney in Las Vegas can help you.

Determining Liability

Determining liability for food poisoning can be very challenging. If symptoms present themselves immediately following a meal, it may be easier to prove liability. However, even in these instances, a restaurant could argue that you were experiencing symptoms from an earlier meal.

Your attorney can work to track down other instances of food poisoning occurring at the same establishment. If there are other recent reports, it could become easier to prove that this restaurant was liable.

In addition, when there are serious outbreaks related to certain food products, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) makes it public knowledge. If you consumed food that was recently recalled due to an outbreak, then proving liability becomes simpler.

Recovering Damages

After your attorney has proven liability, the focus will shift to recovering damages. If your illness did not require medical care, it is unlikely that you would be able to recover any damages. However, if you did need to go to the hospital, you may be able to recover:

Medical expenses
Lost income
Pain and suffering

Food poisoning can lead to serious health complications such as Hepatitis A, neurological damage, kidney damage, liver damage, and the potential need for surgery. In addition, one could suffer seizures (even if they have no history of them), visual impairment, or diseases such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which can cause paralysis.

Causes and Prevention of Food Poisoning

Food poisoning can be caused by ingesting a variety of foods. Some of the most common foods to carry a foodborne illness include:

Raw or undercooked poultry, red meat, shellfish, or eggs
Unpasteurized milk
Unpasteurized juices
Food that has spoiled
Unwashed vegetables and fruits

Properly storing, cleaning, and cooking food provides a much better chance of avoiding a foodborne illness. To avoid food poisoning, the Mayo Clinic suggests:

Washing your hands and kitchen surfaces often
Keeping raw foods separate from ready-to-eat foods
Refrigerating and freezing foods promptly
Defrosting food safely
Throwing out questionable food

Instances of Food Poisoning

There have been many high-profile companies that have caused their patrons to suffer food poisoning. In 2015, Chipotle had an outbreak of E. coli that left 55 people ill but resulted in zero deaths. Other notable companies that have had outbreaks of a foodborne illness include:

Jack in the Box
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Taco Bell
Dole
Foster Farms

Food Poisoning Statistics

While food safety has become a much greater priority for restaurants and eaters alike, there is always a chance that one could suffer a foodborne illness from eating food that is contaminated with a virus, bacteria, or parasite.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in six Americans will get sick with food poisoning yearly, with approximately 128,000 hospitalized. Sadly, 3,000 people will die from foodborne illnesses.

Those at greatest risk for foodborne illness are:

Adults 65 and older
Children younger than five
People with weakened immune systems
Pregnant women

If you are in one of these categories and showing symptoms of food poisoning, seek medical advice to ensure a larger problem is not forming.

Contact a Food Poisoning Attorney in Las Vegas Today

Many people think food poisoning is simply a minor inconvenience that will go away on its own. Fortunately, for many, this is the case. However, for others, foodborne illness can cause serious health problems and complications. When you suffer foodborne illness while dining at a restaurant or because of food that was not properly handled by the manufacturer, you may be able to recover compensation.

Proving liability in a foodborne illness case can be difficult, which is why having a lawyer with experience in food poisoning cases can be helpful. At De Castroverde Accident & Injury Lawyers, our food poisoning lawyer in Las Vegas can help you determine liability, pursue damages, and get back to your life. When you are ready to seek legal advice, contact our Las Vegas personal injury attorney today.