Food Poisoning Lawyer Finder

Food poisoning victims may need emergency medical attention.

Food poisoning refers to acute illness due to the consumption of tainted food or contaminated food. Food poisoning often causes vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramping, sometimes leading to hospitalization, kidney failure, liver damage, permanent disability or death.

After experiencing a severe case of food-borne illness, many victims seek out a food poisoning lawyer in order to collect monetary damages and prevent others from suffering the same fate.

According to the FDA, Americans suffer from more than 75 million cases of food poisoning each year, causing 5,000 deaths, and costing $7 billion in lost productivity. Food poisoning is often caused by bacteria such as E. coli, and it is often associated with poor sanitation in food processing plants, lack of cleanliness in restaurants, or contamination of crops with manure.

The term “food poisoning” usually includes:

• Illness caused by ingested enterotoxin (consuming food that contains toxins produced by bacteria)
• Illness caused by ingested bacteria pathogens that produce toxins in the body, but do not invade the mucous membranes. These toxins are usually quickly cleared by the immune system.

Bacteria and viruses often associated with food poisoning include E. coli, Campylobacter, hepatitis A, botulin, Listeria, norovirus, Shigella, and Salmonella.

The term food poisoning usually does not include disease caused by viruses, bacteria or prions that are in contaminated food or drink which invade the body. The term foodborne illness includes both food poisoning and these diseases.

The symptoms of food poisoning are often felt a few hours after the consumption of the tainted food or drink, and can last from one to ten days.

Almost any contaminated food or beverage can carry pathogens that cause food poisoning, including: Seeds, sprouts, nuts, fish and shellfish, beef and other meat products, vegetables.

Worldwide, food poisoning afflicts at least sixty to eighty million people each year and causes between 6 and 8 million deaths.

Note: This website does not provide medical or legal information or advice. For severe illness, promptly contact a qualified medical professional.