Food poisoning is definitely the last thing you plan to get with your order. While you may not need hospitalization, you could still suffer from extensive costs associated with food poisoning. From losing wages to paying for medical bills, you may feel you have no legal way to recover after your food poisoning incident.
Just because you didn’t go to the hospital does not mean the company that sold spoiled food is in the clear. While it is best to consult with an attorney to see if you have a case, keep in mind that you could potentially collect damages for food poisoning or food-borne illnesses.
Damages Associated with Food Poisoning – Well Beyond Just Medical Care
While large food poisoning cases focus on hospital costs – or patients who were near death – the damages from food poisoning are not just related to medical bills. In fact, as a food poisoning sufferer, you may lose wages from work, spend several days at home in agony, or even encounter medical costs associated with over-the-counter treatments or trips to your family physician.
Even minor cases of food poisoning can dramatically alter your quality of life for a week or longer – whether or not you went to the hospital. All of these are reasons to seek damages.
What if You Don’t Have Medical Tests Performed?
Even if you do not have medical tests performed to prove you had food poisoning, you may still qualify for damages. Family practitioners often do not run expensive tests for gastroenteritis nor will they spend the time diagnosing the pathogen. Instead, they will simply treat the symptoms and help you recover.
But, just because you do not have a test proving what type of food-borne illness made you sick does not mean the restaurant is free from lawsuit. Using unsanitary practices or serving spoiled food is considered a negligent business practice and a direct violation of county health laws.
Your attorney can report this restaurant to the local health department for an inspection, which will uncover any food-borne pathogens, and the department’s report can be used in court when you file a lawsuit.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney
If you are the victim of food poisoning, do not assume you don’t have a case. Contact West Palm Beach personal injury attorney at Fetterman & Associates, PA today for a free consultation. We can help you recover damages from your bout with food poisoning – regardless if you went to the hospital or not.