Food Poisoning

Food poisoning can cause you to fall ill for days at a time, causing you to miss work and possibly landing you in the hospital due to severe dehydration or other complications from being sick for such an extended period of time. Food poisoning is entirely avoidable in today’s modern society, so it is likely negligence played a role if you contract it. In such an event, a personal injury attorney from the Cambridge, Massachusetts firm of Altman & Altman LLP is here to help.

Food Poisoning is Incredibly Common, but can Also be Very Dangerous

Millions of people each year fall ill from unsafe, tainted, or poorly cooked food they have purchased at the grocery store or eaten while at a restaurant, on an airplane, or on a cruise ship. In fact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that one in six individuals will get sick from food poisoning this year. Many people also become seriously ill when improperly served food—such as nuts, shellfish, or eggs—to which they are allergic.

Food poisoning can cause a variety of mild-to-severe symptoms, including:

• Upset stomach
• Fever
• Nausea
• Diarrhea, or abdominal cramps
• Dehydration.

Although it may not seem serious at first, if it persists in the long term, severe cases of food poisoning can cause kidney failure, brain damage and even death.

Who Might be at Fault for Food Poisoning? Who can get it?

At times, food companies are forced to recall products due to potential contaminants or undeclared allergens that wind up in their food products. Recalls may also result where food products were inadvertently manufactured and/or packaged with plastic fragments or glass shards. Such recalls, however, may come too late to prevent harm to you and your family.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, bacteria and viruses are the most common causes of food poisoning, with parasites, mold, toxins, and contaminants being less-frequent causes. In particular, the bacteria/viruses known as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria are frequently-cited causes of hospitalization.

Although any individual can fall victim to food poisoning, certain categories of people are more prone to such illness. The elderly, pregnant women and individuals with chronic illnesses (e.g., AIDS, cancer) and weakened immune systems are particularly at risk.

Preventing Food Poisoning, and Fighting Back Against Negligent Producers

Many strategies exist to ensure that you and your family will not get sick from unsafe food—such as frequently cleaning hands and sanitizing surfaces used for cutting produce and meats, as well as keeping meat, poultry, and eggs separate from other food items in grocery bags and in the refrigerator.

However, unfortunately food safety is not always within your ability to control, making food contamination—and the plethora of symptoms and other illnesses that result—sometimes inevitable. In these cases, it is vital to hold the food producer accountable for failing to ensure their products are safe for consumption.

At Altman & Altman, LLP our group of experienced attorneys have been providing legal services for clients all over the greater Boston area, and all throughout Massachusetts, for over 50 years. We have experienced great success in litigating personal injury cases, which have included food poisoning as well as tainted food claims. Our attorneys will get you an agreeable settlement and will not hesitate to file a lawsuit if an agreement cannot be reached.

The attorneys at Altman & Altman, LLP pride themselves on their accessibility and carefully cater to their clients’ needs. If traveling is difficult for you due to an injury or illness a home or hospital visit can be arranged as well. Please also recognize that if you are a victim of food poisoning you will be represented on a contingency fee basis, which means that you will not be charged any fees until you are successful in recovering through a settlement or through a successful lawsuit.

Contact us online or call for a free consultation to go over the details of your case today at 617-492-3000 or toll-free at 800-481-6199. We are available 24/7.