West Palm Beach, Florida Personal Injury Lawyers
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Smith & Vanture, LLP,
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Food Poisoning Cases
Our firm has handled a wide variety of food poisoning and other food safety litigation. The firm is currently involved in the litigation of the Peter Pan peanut butter salmonella outbreak and is investigating a number of other foodborne illness claims. The firm is also currently involved in extensive litigation against McDonald's for their failure to disclose that their French fries and hash browns contained major food allergens.
"Food poisoning" or foodborne illness occurs when food contaminated with bacteria or other pathogens, such as parasites or viruses, is consumed. Symptoms of food poisoning may include upset stomach, diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, headache, weakness, and dehydration. The symptoms may appear several hours to several days after eating contaminated food.
Typically, food becomes contaminated as a result of improper food processing, handling, preparation and/or storage. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most commonly recognized foodborne infections are those caused by the bacteria Camplyobacteria, Salmonella. Escherichia coli (commonly known as E-coli), and Listeria, as well as a group of viruses called noroviruses (also known as Norwalk-like virus or calcivirus). Common diseases that are occasionally foodborne, although usually transmitted by other routes, include infections caused by Shigella and Hepatitis A and by the parasites, Gardia Lamblia and Cryptosporidia. Still other foodborne diseases are caused by the presence of a toxin produced by a microbe found in food. For example, a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum causes the rare but deadly disease botulism.
Food poisoning lawsuits are complex and require expert analysis and evaluation. Our firm has access to microbiologists and epidemiologists that assist us evauluate cases and serve as expert witnesses, when needed.
*** If you or a family member has suffered illness as a result of eating a food product of any kind and you have medical documentation that you or your family member has suffered illness after eating that food product, please contact a food poisoning attorney at our office at (800) 443-4529 or (561) 684-6330 to discuss how we may be able to assist you. Or fill out the form on the left side of this page and your inquiry will be sent by e-mail to our office.
If you have any of the food product, please put it in a plastic bag and place it in a cool spot, like your refrigerator. Do not discard the product , as we will need it to prove your claim.