Food poisoning is a common issue in restaurants and can happen to many different people. And while this situation is usually easy to tolerate because it lasts only a day or so, some cases may become severe and cause real personal struggles. Thankfully, good personal injury lawyers can help those in this situation understand their rights and get compensation. And while not every food poisoning case will fall under this heading, many will require this type of lawsuit to get proper financial help as needed.
Food Poisoning Can Be Dangerous
Although food poisoning occurs in many people in restaurants around the world every day, it is a health danger that can be surprisingly severe. Though most cases are likely to be minor and cause only a handful of symptoms over a few days, some cases may be quite severe. When allowed to become persistent and dangerous, food poisoning can cause a variety of symptoms that may lead to a lot of suffering, such as:
- Severe Diarrhea – If left unchecked, very severe diarrhea can cause a lot of health problems, including malnourishment, that can cause a lot of issues for a person. In some cases, this diarrhea may even be bloody, further proof of a serious case of food poisoning.
- Excessive Vomiting – When a person vomits, their body feels as if it is dying. And excessive vomiting can cause damage to the esophagus and even cause malnourishment and dehydration, much in the same way that severe diarrhea may cause a similar situation.
- High Fever – Many types of bacteria and viruses in food poisoning cases can cause heavy temperatures that range over 102 degrees Fahrenheit. When these fevers are severe enough, they may cause health issues that linger for days or even weeks. Some may even experience brain damage.
- Extreme Nausea – Even when an individual is not vomiting due to food poisoning, they may still experience extreme nausea. This condition may make it very hard for these individuals to eat a healthy amount of food or drink enough water, causing them to suffer even more health issues.
- Dehydration – People who are vomiting and experiencing diarrhea will expel a lot of fluids and stomach acid that may cause them to become dehydrated. This problem can occur in as little as a few hours in cases of severe food poisoning and may lead to other issues.
In this situation, a person who has food poisoning may end up having to miss work for extended periods. This problem is a tough one to overcome because it may lead to them missing out on financial compensation and struggling. Thankfully, a personal injury case is possible in this situation, especially if it is possible to prove that a restaurant caused this type of food poisoning in an individual.
Proving These Cases
When severe food poisoning impacts an individual, it is important to prove that a restaurant triggered this problem. It is also critical to show that the individual who suffered from these issues did not contribute to them. Just a few ways that lawyers can help include how they will:
- Show that the restaurant has a history of food poisoning cases
- Track the occurrence of symptoms to hours after eating at a restaurant
- Use a doctor’s diagnosis to prove further food poisoning symptoms
- Prove that proper care was taken with this type of case
This latter point is critical because if a person experiences severe symptoms after food poisoning, they need to show that they did not contribute to them in any way. Often, this step requires showing that they talked to a doctor and tried to get treatments for these health issues.