Food poisoning is very common, and it usually does not result in any serious issues. However, approximately 3,000 people die from eating contaminated items each year, so it is important to seek medical attention immediately if you believe that you have contracted a food-borne illness. Even if you do not develop a serious case, you will probably feel extremely sick for several hours.
What Exactly is Food Poisoning?
An individual who is dealing with a case of food poisoning consumed a beverage or item that was contaminated with salmonella, E. coli or some other form of bacteria. The first symptoms will set in anywhere from two hours to 48 hours after exposure to the contaminant. Most people will experience vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, chills and a fever.
Five Steps for Dealing with a Food borne Illness:
1. Seek Medical Attention Immediately
Approximately 128,000 people need to be hospitalized each year in order to recover from digestive ailment. Because of this, it is vital to go to your doctor or the emergency room immediately if you begin suffering from the unpleasant symptoms.
2. Ask if Everyone Else is Okay
One of the best ways to determine whether you have food poisoning or another medical issue is to ask others who ate the same things as you if they are sick. However, it is important to keep in mind that some people will deal with a more severe reaction than others and the incubation period can also vary greatly.
3. Report to the Local Health Department
If you get sick, it is important to contact your local health department. As Stokes & Kopitsky state, “Report food poisoning to your local health department so that public health officials can begin to investigate the outbreak and prevent future illnesses.” After all, if they do not become aware of the situation, the proper steps will not be taken to contain a potential outbreak.
4. Contact the Establishment
In most cases, the restaurant or grocery store that sells contaminated items is unaware that there is an issue. Therefore, you should always contact the source to make them aware of the situation. If they do not take your illness seriously, you should let them know that you have contacted the health department and will also be calling a lawyer.
5. Call a Qualified Attorney
If your food poisoning causes any major issues, you should definitely contact an attorney to discuss your case. Most times this illness can be directly linked to someone else’s negligence, and you should not have to pay for the medical bills that you incur because someone else failed to follow the proper health and safety procedures.
Even though the odds are high that your bout of food poisoning will be relatively mild, it is always a good idea to take precautionary measures as soon as you begin to exhibit symptoms. After all, going to the doctor immediately can make the difference between simply being ill for a day or becoming a fatality statistic.
Ieda Vincent has experienced a bad case of stomach illness after dining in a popular restaurant and wishes she had known these tips at the time. Stokes & Kopitsky take pride in their sympathetic and thoughtful support for their cases in order to take the pressure off their clients. They have an impressive track record with over $50 million recovered for injury compensations and make it a point to hold the negligent party responsible.