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Maryland Food Poisoning Lawyer

Have you or your loved one suffered serious sickness after eating contaminated food prepared at a restaurant, cafeteria, or prepackaged, ready-to-eat food? You may be entitled to compensation for your food poisoning.

When you consume food prepared by someone else, you trust that the proper procedures and sanitation have been followed so that you are not made sick by germs and other bacteria. Although many cases of food poisoning are comparatively mild and don't cause any serious or lasting effects, certain infections can cause serious, even life-threatening, diseases. Additionally, certain groups of people can be more at risk for food poisoning and serious sickness and side effects.

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Consult with an Experienced Maryland Food Poisoning Lawyer

If you or your loved one have been seriously injured by food poisoning, you should consult with an experienced food poisoning lawyer as soon as possible. The Maryland personal injury attorneys at Regan Zambri Long have experience with contaminated food claims and can help you investigate and prove your case. You can schedule a free consultation online or by calling 202-960-4596.

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Proving a Food Poisoning Case in MD

The greatest hurdle in food poisoning claims is proving that eating tainted food made you ill. Because of the delay in symptoms and the variety of food, each person consumes each day, tracing sickness back to a particular food or dining experience can be challenging. Your case will hinge on your ability to prove that the food you consumed was contaminated.

When the CDC or another agency has linked an outbreak to a particular food, the same food you consumed, your case will be that much easier to prove. Another good way to prove your claim is to have a urine, stool, or blood sample tested for specific contaminants. If you seek medical attention after eating something you believe was contaminated, you may request lab tests to look for food poisoning. If you have leftovers from your suspect meal, you should also request they be tested. Your attorney will want copies of all relevant medical records relating to your sickness, as well as any detailed notes you made during your illness. If you dined with others, you will want to see if anyone else had a similar experience.

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Filing a Maryland Food Poisoning Lawsuit

If you experience food poisoning in Maryland, you may be eligible to file a claim against the restaurant, cafeteria, or store that sold you the contaminated products. However, one of the most important considerations in any food poisoning claim is how sick you were. In many instances, filing a claim is not worth your time and money unless you experienced a severe illness that required medical treatment and/or had long-term effects on your health and well-being.

If your sickness was serious, the first thing you should do, once you are well enough, is consulting with a personal injury lawyer in Maryland who is experienced with contaminated food-related product liability claims. Your food poisoning attorney will confirm that you have a case to pursue and will begin an investigation to trace the contamination back to the source so that you can bring a suit against all liable parties.

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Contaminated Food and Foodborne Illness

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that as many as 48 million Americans experience food poisoning or foodborne illness each year. Of the 48 million, 128,000 people are hospitalized each year because of foodborne illnesses and 3,000 people die from severe cases of food poisoning.

Restaurants, cafeterias, and caterers are required to follow health department rules and regulations in storing and preparing food to reduce the risk that served food is contaminated by any germs.

Grocery stores, delis, and other businesses that sell ready-to-eat food or prepackaged food are responsible for ensuring that the foods are stored properly and that expired food is removed from the sales floor promptly.
But even with regulations in place, food poisoning continues to be a widespread problem. Tracing tainted food to a contaminated source can pose a challenge to your claim, which is why you must hire a food poisoning lawyer as soon as possible after you experience a foodborne illness.

Common Symptoms of Food Poisoning

Most cases of food poisoning manifest with a variety of flu-like symptoms, including diarrhea, upset stomach, nausea and vomiting, cramps, and fever. Some germs can cause more serious symptoms or lead to serious infections or even life-threatening conditions if left untreated.

Signs of serious food poisoning include a high fever (over 102 degrees), diarrhea that lasts more than three days or that contains blood, inability to keep liquids down, and dehydration signs including dry mouth, dizziness, and lack of urination.

After eating tainted food you may begin to experience sickness as soon as six hours after eating or drinking. Some illnesses may take up to two weeks to being showing signs.

Common Foodborne Illnesses

According to the CDC, scientists have identified more than 250 foodborne diseases, caused by a variety of bacteria, viruses, and parasites, though toxins and chemicals can also cause illnesses. The five most common types are:

Several other germs, though less common, are still seen often and are more likely to lead to serious illness and hospitalization. These include:

Maryland Food Poisoning Lawyers

Regan Zambri Long is a well-respected personal injury law firm with more than a century of cumulative experience among our lawyers. We have offices throughout the DC metro area, including Maryland and Virginia. Our legal team is familiar with the laws surrounding Maryland personal injury claims, and we’re ready to take on your contaminated food claim.

Our team has handled these kinds of product liability claims on behalf of personal injury victims, and we won’t hesitate to hold the liable party accountable. We will investigate your situation and do our utmost to track the source of contamination to its origin, whether domestic or abroad. When you hire Regan Zambri Long, you put your case in the best hands possible.

Our law firm works on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t pay any fees until we’ve made a recovery in your favor.

You can schedule your free consultation online or by calling 202-960-4596. When you’ve suffered because of food poisoning, you deserve justice. Let Regan Zambri Long’s Maryland food poisoning lawyers fight for you.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Food Poisoning in Maryland

Q: How Long Do I Have to File a Food Poisoning Claim?

Maryland’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is three years after the date of the incident. However, you need to get started on your claim as soon as possible. Proving a food poisoning case can be time-consuming and challenging, so you want to give your Maryland lawyer as much time as possible to investigate your claim and trace the contamination back to the source.

Q: What Foods are Most Likely to Cause Illness?

Any food can make you sick if it is contaminated. However, some foods are more frequent offenders than others.
The CDC notes that raw animal products are most likely to be contaminated among food groups. This includes:

Increasingly, fruits and vegetables are being linked with more foodborne illnesses and food poisoning outbreaks. Food contamination can occur in the field, during processing, or during preparation or storage through cross-contamination.

Q: Who Are Most At Risk for Foodborne Illnesses?

Anyone can get food poisoning, however, some people and groups are more likely to encounter serious illness or injury. These include:

You may be more likely to have a food poisoning claim if you or your loved one are in one of these more at-risk groups. However, even otherwise healthy individuals can still develop serious illnesses and conditions from severe food poisoning. If you or your loved one have made a trip to the emergency room or been hospitalized due to food poisoning, you should consult with a Maryland food poisoning lawyer as soon as possible.

Q: When Should I File a Claim for Contaminated Food?

You should consult with an experienced attorney as soon as possible after you suspect food poisoning. Your legal counsel will need to investigate your claim and trace the contamination back to the source before filing a claim against any liable parties involved. Unless specific tests are done to identify bacteria or germs, food poisoning can be difficult to prove, especially since many symptoms are flu-like. You’ll want to minimize the amount of time between your illness and pursuing a claim so that your legal team can have a better understanding of what caused your illness.

You can schedule a free consultation with a lawyer at Regan Zambri Long to discuss your claim and next steps.

Q: Who Is Liable for Food Poisoning?

Anyone who was in contact with the food before it reached you can be liable in a food contamination claim. This could be the company that grows or raises the food, food processing companies, a retailer or supplier, or an establishment that didn’t ensure employees follow safe handling, storing, and/or preparing procedures.

Q: Can I Sue For Food Poisoning?

Yes, you can bring a lawsuit against any liable party if you can prove that the food served caused your illness. However, in many mild cases, your legal counsel may advise foregoing a food poisoning lawsuit, as it may not be worth it to pursue a claim unless you suffered serious losses and damages because of it.

If you have been hospitalized, must receive continuing treatment, or suffer other serious injuries as a result of your illness, a food poisoning lawsuit may be in your best interest.

A free case evaluation with a Regan Zambri Long attorney will help you understand your legal rights and options, as well as the viability of your claim.

Why Should I Hire Regan Zambri Long as my Maryland Food Poisoning Lawyer?

The attorneys at Regan Zambri Long have more than a century of cumulative experience with personal injury claims, including product liability and food poisoning cases. We are well-versed in Maryland’s laws and statutes and we will fight tirelessly to hold the liable parties accountable for their negligence. Where necessary, we will use international laws and agreements to hold foreign parties accountable.

At Regan Zambri Long, you can trust that we are doing our utmost to recover the compensation you deserve. Businesses have a responsibility to ensure that the food products they supply are safe to consume. If negligence causes you or your loved one serious illness, you deserve justice.

Schedule your free consultation today online or by calling 202-960-4596.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Have you or your loved one sustained injuries in Washington DC, Maryland or Virginia? Regan Zambri Long PLLC has the best lawyers in the country to analyze your case and answer the questions you may have.

Call 202-960-4596

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