For many people, eating out at a restaurant is a chance to catch up with friends and try new foods. Many restaurants take pride in serving quality food. However, when restaurants fail to properly store or thoroughly cook their food it can result in their customers contracting serious foodborne illnesses such as food poisoning. If you’ve come down with food poisoning, you have likely been served adulterated or contaminated food. In most cases, food poisoning will go away on its own after a few days. However, in more severe cases, you may have to be hospitalized. If you have been diagnosed with food poisoning, you may wonder whether you can file a personal injury lawsuit to recover monetary compensation for your damages. Keep reading to learn whether or not you can file a lawsuit and discover how our skilled Essex County Personal Injury Attorneys can help you.
What is food poisoning?
Essentially, food poisoning is a type of foodborne illness that occurs when your food has been contaminated by bacteria or toxins. It is a type of infection that irritates your digestive tract. In most cases, this illness is mild where you experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, chills, muscle aches, dehydration, and loss of appetite for a couple of days. However, severe cases can cause serious health complications and even turn life-threatening. Unfortunately, some contaminants can cause infections to spread throughout the body. This puts individuals with weakened immune systems or other medical conditions at significant risk of permanent damage. Ultimately, food poisoning can result in long-term health problems.
Am I eligible for compensation for a foodborne illness in New Jersey?
In New Jersey, you can pursue a claim against anyone responsible for serving or selling contaminated food. However, you must prove that the food served at the restaurant made you sick. To do this, you will have to show that you were diagnosed by a medical professional, you ate food from the restaurant, and your illness has caused you significant harm. To establish the link between your illness and the food you ate at a restaurant you will need evidence. A lab can test your blood, urine, and stool for evidence of contaminants. After a pathogen has been identified in your system, it can be compared to pathogens found on equipment used in the restaurant and in the food. This will help you prove the restaurant served you contaminated food which caused you to become ill. Therefore, if you can prove that the food you consumed at a restaurant made you sick, you can file a personal injury claim to collect compensation for your losses.
If you have recently been diagnosed with food poisoning, you need a determined Essex County personal injury attorney on your side. Our firm will work tirelessly to help you reach a just outcome. With years of experience, our dedicated team members can help you understand your legal options. Contact us today so our firm can help you seek reasonable compensation for your damages.
