Food Poisoning Attorneys in Orange County, CA

If you believe you may be suffering from food poisoning, follow these general guidelines from the United States Department of Agriculture:

1. Preserve the evidence. If a portion of the suspect food remains, wrap the food securely, write “DANGER” on the package, and immediately freeze it. Save all of the food’s original packaging materials, such as cans, cartons or wrapping. Write down the food type, the date, other identifying marks on the package, the time it was consumed, and when the onset of symptoms occurred. Save any identical unopened products.
2. Seek medical treatment, as needed. If you are in an “at-risk” group, seek medical care immediately. If symptoms persist or are severe (such as bloody diarrhea, excessive nausea and vomiting, or high temperature), call your doctor.
3. Call the local health department if the suspect food is a commercial product or was served at a large gathering, including a restaurant or a food service facility.
4. Call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) if the suspect food is a USDA-inspected product, and you have all the packaging.
5. Contact our Orange County food poisoning attorneys. We have years of experience holding restaurants and hotel chains accountable for serving poor quality food.

Each foodborne illness case is unique. The amount of compensation will depend on the facts of your case. These types of compensation are available in food poisoning cases:

• Medical costs related to your illness. Food poisoning can be catastrophic and lead to massive hospital bills. Foodborne pathogens can require expensive drugs, the use of life-support machines, and specialized doctors. A food poisoning claim may include the cost of treating your illness and the cost of related medical care that you may need in the future.
• Emotional distress. Because of the serious nature of a foodborne illness and the risk that it poses to your life, many people who have been injured experience lasting emotional harm.
• Pain and suffering. Food poisoning can leave people with long-term pain and lasting damage. As part of a foodborne illness case, you may be entitled to compensation for the pain and suffering you’ve experienced.
• Lost wages and damage to future earnings. An illness can prevent you from working and supporting your family. A food poisoning claim may include compensation for the work you have missed and the damage that your career may suffer in the future.
• Punitive damages. Although punitive damages are rare, they may be available in cases where someone tried to harm you, or if that person acted recklessly. As part of a foodborne illness case, a judge may impose these damages.
• Wrongful death. The sad fact is that a foodborne pathogen can take the lives of our loved ones. A wrongful death claim may include these types of compensation:
  • Loss of companionship, care, and support.
  • Loss of financial support that your loved one contributed.
  • Funeral and burial costs.
  • Loss of guidance provided by your loved one.
  • The value of household services.
  • Loss of consortium.

As a general rule, you have two years from the date that you became ill to file a food poisoning lawsuit in Orange County. If a loved one passed away because of a foodborne illness, you have two years from the date of the death.

If you are considering a food poisoning lawsuit, speak with our food poisoning lawyers in Orange County, CA, today.