Food Poisoning

Another specialty of our firm's personal injury lawyers is food poisoning. In December 2003, a study by the Center for Disease Control reported that food poisoning causes 76 million illnesses and 5,200 deaths every year in the United States. The estimated financial cost of these illnesses is unknown, but the medical cost and lost wages for salmonellosis alone is estimated at nearly $1 billion per year.

There are over 250 food borne illnesses. The most common include E. coli O157, salmonella, hepatitis A, and listeria. Each of these can be contracted through the consumption of contaminated food or beverages from restaurants or grocery stores. The first indications that you've been infected are nausea and abdominal cramps, usually followed by vomiting and diarrhea. Anyone can be a victim of food poisoning, but children and the elderly are most vulnerable to severe illness.

Food poisoning generally results from the negligent handling or negligent preparation of foods. It occurs most often in restaurants, but the improper handling of foods in bulk processing environments, such as production lines and supermarkets, is also a common source of food poisoning. In many instances, it can be difficult to discover where the victim was infected, and equally difficult to prove the guilty establishment was responsible.

If you or a loved one is in need of legal assistance, call Silbowitz, Garafola, Silbowitz, Schatz & Frederick, L.L.P. at (212)-354-6800 or toll free 1-800-LAW-3369 or submit an online questionnaire. Our firm offers a free case evaluation and our dedicated team can help you understand your legal rights and obtain the compensation you are entitled to.