When Food Poisoning is Serious, Talk to Frederick, MD Food Poisoning Lawyers
If you have become ill after eating in a restaurant or eating packaged food in Maryland, it may be in your best interest to contact Frederick, MD food poisoning lawyers to make sure that your rights are protected.
Even though the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set forth many rules and guidelines to protect consumers in the U.S., many people become ill every year from eating contaminated foods. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that there are 48 million people per year affected by some form of foodborne illness; approximately 128,000 people per year are hospitalized because of food borne illness; and unfortunately, three thousand people die each year because of something they ate.
Food Poisoning and Personal Injury Law
When someone is injured in the United States because of another party’s negligent or reckless behavior, the injured person may be entitled to compensation for expenses that are the result of their injury. When someone dies as the result of this, their surviving family members may be able to hold the party that is responsible for their loved one’s untimely death liable for the damages they caused.
If someone becomes ill because of something they ate in Frederick, they may be in need of MD food poisoning lawyers to protect their rights. When someone suffers from food poisoning that is the result of another party’s negligence, such as a restaurant not properly monitoring health standards in their food prep; or a manufacturer or distributor for not ensuring they are up to code for health and safety standards, etc., the victim of food poisoning (or another food related illness or problem) may be entitled to compensation. People from Frederick have found it easier to seek compensation for food poisoning with the guidance of personal injury lawyers who are experienced with handling food poisoning cases in MD.
Types and Symptoms of Food Poisoning
There are many types of food poisoning that can make a person ill that can be categorized as stemming from one or more of the following:
- Bacteria
- Virus
- Parasite
- Toxins
Bacterial cases of food poisoning are the most common. Symptoms can appear in as little as one hour after consuming contaminated food but it can take a few days before they appear. Symptoms typically include one or more of the following:
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Fever
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain or cramping
- Bloody stools
- Dehydration
- Headache
- Extreme exhaustion
Proving Causation
It can be difficult to prove causation in food poisoning cases. This means that in order to prevail in a food poisoning case, it is necessary to connect the consumption of the contaminated food to the onset of symptoms. It is a good idea to get medical attention when it seems like someone is ill as the result of food poisoning but even a medical practitioner may have a hard time linking this definitively to one food over another. Since there are hundreds of possible ways to contract a foodborne illness, speaking to experienced food poisoning lawyers may help you to make more informed decisions about what your next steps should be.
If you or someone you love has suffered from food poisoning, Cohen & Cohen has highly rated Frederick, MD food poisoning lawyers who may be able to help with your particular situation.
