THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF FOOD POISONING

Experiencing food poisoning is never good. It can lead to days of discomfort, pain and in some instances even death. And those who cause food poisoning must be held accountable so that others are not poisoned. Our food poisoning attorneys in Jacksonville have extensive knowledge about the different types of food poisoning and the steps that must be taken to prove where and how food poisoning occurred. One very important step is to identify the food that caused the poisoning and what bacteria, virus, or parasite the food was infected with. The following information may help you identify what food likely caused your illness.

FOOD POISONING CAUSED BY BACTERIAS

Listeria Bacteria

Listeria bacteria does not have the name recognition that some of the other foodborne bacteria’s have but it can result in serious illness of you become infected with it. According to the CDC, approximately 1,600 people in the U.S. become infected with listeriosis each year and of those, about 260 die as a result of the infection.

Some of the most common foodborne sources of listeria bacteria are cold cooked sliced meats and cured meats, smoked and cured fish, cooked shellfish, pre-prepared sandwiches and salads, pre-cut fruit and unpasteurized milk. The symptoms of a listeria infection can include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.

Salmonella Bacteria

Salmonella bacteria is one of the leading causes of bacterial foodborne illnesses. According to the USDA, foodborne salmonella infections resulted in $3.7 billion in medical costs and lost wages each year. According to the CDC the most common foodborne sources of salmonella are raw or undercooked poultry and meat products, raw or undercooked eggs and egg products, and raw or unpasteurized milk and dairy products. The symptoms of a salmonella infection vary by person but most develop a fever, stomach cramps and diarrhea within 8 to 72 hours of exposure. Healthy people generally recover completely within a few days to a week.

E. coli Bacteria

Most people automatically think of E. coli as bad because the only time we ever hear about it is when there is a major recall of foods or a large number people that were victims of an E. coli foodborne illness. The fact is, most E. coli bacteria are a part of a healthy intestinal track. But there are some E. coli bacteria that cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections, respiratory illnesses and blood infections. The bad types of E. coli are spread through food, primarily ground beef, water and contact with infected animals and people.

FOOD POISONING CAUSED BY VIRUSES

Norovirus

Norovirus is responsible for causing about half of all foodborne illness in the U.S. And most outbreaks of Norovirus are caused by people who touch or prepare food for other people when they are infected. It can also be transmitted by food that comes from contaminated water. Norovirus spreads easily because it is very tiny and can be airborne. And it only takes a very small amount of the virus to contaminate food and make someone sick. Foodborne norovirus is most commonly contracted from leafy greens such as lettuce, fresh fruits and shellfish such as oysters. Symptoms of Norovirus can include diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain because the virus causes gastroenteritis; swelling for the stomach and intestines.

Rotavirus

Rotavirus exists in all regions of the world in all types of environments. Foodborne rotavirus infections while rare, primarily come from foods that were contaminated by infected food handlers. It is most commonly contracted from shellfish, salads and ice. Symptoms of a rotavirus infection are watery diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting and fever, often leading to severe dehydration, and generally last 3 to 8 days.

HOW OUR FOOD POISONING ATTORNEYS IN JACKSONVILLE WILL PROVE YOUR CLAIM

In cases of suspected food poisoning, our food poisoning attorneys in Jacksonville will explain how proving your claim is generally the most difficult aspect of a food poisoning claim. In order to win a food poisoning lawsuit against a food manufacturer, supplier, restaurant or others who prepare and serve food, you will have to prove two points:

• The food you consumed was contaminated
• The contaminated food that you consumed made you sick

If you believe the food you consumed was contaminated, our food poisoning attorneys in Jacksonville will have to pinpoint the particular food product that made you sick. If there is a time delay, (which is quite common) between eating the contaminated food and experiencing symptoms of food poisoning. It may be difficult to determine specifically what food made you sick, unless many others were also made ill by eating the same food product.

Proving a link between the food you ate and contamination is easiest in cases where a government health agency steps in and traces a case of food poisoning back to a particular source. Scientific testing of the food that made you sick to determine the particular type of bacteria, viruses, or parasites that were present in the contaminated food can be critically important because it can provide solid evidence linking the contaminated product to your illness.

If you believe the contaminated food that you consumed made you sick, It will be important to prove this. The best way to do this is to have a stool sample scientifically tested for food poisoning. If you can show that your stool sample contained the same bacteria, viruses, or parasites that were found in the contaminated food you consumed, this evidence will greatly strengthen your claim. Depending on the circumstances, our food poisoning attorneys may also be able to make other legal arguments about your claim.