California Food Poisoning Lawyer
Foodborne illnesses are infections caused by bacteria and viruses that are present on food and in beverages. This contaminated food can make a person ill, and can even lead to health issues that require seeing a physician. Similarly, poisonous chemicals and other toxins can also find their way onto the surface of food, and make unsuspecting consumers of that food ill in the same manner that bacteria and viruses can, except the effects of the toxins can be even more dangerous. According to the Centers for Disease Control, people, "after eating contaminated food, can develop anything from a short, mild illness, often mistakenly referred to as food poisoning, to life-threatening disease. CDC estimates that 76 million Americans get sick, more than 300,000 are hospitalized, and 5,000 people die from foodborne illnesses each year."
Foodborne illnesses can result from a variety of bacteria:
- Salmonella: found in the intestines of birds, reptiles, and mammals, its symptoms include fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps
- E. Coli: found in cow fecal matter, its symptoms include fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps, but can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) that can cause anemia, profuse bleeding, and kidney failure
- Calicivirus: typically passed from one infected person to another, not via animal, and results in acute gastrointestinal illness, characterized by vomiting
- Campylobacter: found in the intestines of birds, such as chickens, its symptoms include fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps, and is the most common cause of diarrheal illness
Toxins, such as pesticides, may also affect food, rendering those who consume it ill upon digestion. Furthermore, other poisonous substances, particularly those substances that are natural, may either afflict or come into contact with food, posing the potential risk of human consumption that can result in illness.
Though foodborne illness can occur out of sheer accident, often times it is the result of negligence of some kind. Those who grow food have an obligation to keep their food safe, and must disclose to distributers and consumers when pesticides have been used on the food during while it was growing and being harvested. Workers in the food processing industry have an obligation to maintain proper hygienic habits, and should always exercise the utmost in care when handling food products. Servers in restaurants are also required to adopt clean habits, not allowing themselves to infect the food with their own germs or germs that may be present in a restaurant, yet are easily preventable through proper upkeep of workspaces and food staging areas.
If you or a loved one has suffered from some sort of food poisoning that has adversely affected your well-being, don't hesitate to contact the foodborne illness lawyers at Van Der Walde & Associates. Our skilled Northern California food poisoning attorneys will examine the details surrounding your accident, will hold negligent parties accountable for their actions, and will seek monetary damages on your behalf to help assist with the costs associated with your accident. Please call us today at 877-862-6288 for a free consultation.
