A case of food poisoning can disrupt your life in significant ways. It can affect your home life, your job, and even lead to hospitalisation in serious cases. Fortunately, if you think your illness was caused by contaminated or poorly prepared food, you may be able to take action.
At Injury Lawyers 4u, we specialise in food poisoning claims and understand how to build a strong case based on medical evidence and hygiene breaches. Whether you became ill after eating out, ordering a takeaway, or consuming a contaminated product, our experienced team is ready to support you every step of the way.
What is food poisoning?
Food poisoning is an illness caused by eating or drinking a substance that contains harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, or toxins.
Bacterial sources like Salmonella and E. coli tend to be the most common culprits, but viruses and parasites like norovirus can also be to blame. These microorganisms can enter the food supply through poor hygiene, unsafe food handling practices, or from contaminated ingredients – which is why seeking action is so important.
According to the Food Standards Agency, there are approximately 2.4 million cases of foodborne illness in the UK each year. Many of these go unreported, despite being caused by another party’s negligence. If you’ve fallen ill due to a third party’s failure to meet health standards, legal remedies are available to you.
Can I make a food poisoning claim?
You can make a food poisoning compensation claim if your illness was caused by another party’s negligence.
This could be poor hygiene standards, improperly cooked food, inadequate storage, or using ingredients that are out of date. Food poisoning claims can be made against restaurants, cafes, takeaways, supermarkets, caterers, and even private hosts in certain cases. You may also be able to claim if your food poisoning occurred while on holiday, at a work event, or after consuming pre-packaged products.
Under the Consumer Protection Act 1987, food sold to consumers must be safe to eat. Even if you can’t prove negligence directly, the law provides protection by holding producers and suppliers responsible for unsafe products.
What are the symptoms of food poisoning?
Food poisoning symptoms can vary by illness and person, but they tend to include:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Stomach cramps
- Fever
- Dehydration
These symptoms can develop within hours or days after eating contaminated food and may last from a few hours up to a week.
In severe cases, food poisoning victims may require hospital treatment or suffer long-term consequences such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or chronic fatigue. If your symptoms significantly disrupted your life, you may be eligible to claim compensation for food poisoning.
How long after eating do the symptoms of food poisoning start?
Symptoms of food poisoning can begin within hours of eating contaminated food, but the exact timing depends on the type of bacteria, virus or toxin involved. In many cases, you might start to feel unwell within 1 to 3 hours, while some infections take up to 24–48 hours or even longer to appear.
It’s not always easy to trace the exact cause, especially if the symptoms are delayed, which is why it’s important to keep a record of what you ate and when symptoms started.
If you’ve been made ill after eating at a restaurant, takeaway or event, and you suspect negligence played a role, you may be entitled to claim compensation. Our specialist food poisoning solicitors can help you understand your rights and take action.
How do I prove I had food poisoning?
To make a successful food poisoning compensation claim, evidence is key. You’ll need to gather the right kinds of evidence to support your case and prove negligence. Here are the steps you should take:
- Seek medical attention: Visit your GP or hospital as soon as possible. Medical records, including stool or blood test results, can help establish that you had food poisoning and identify the contaminant responsible.
- Keep physical evidence: If you can, retain food packaging, restaurant receipts, or any leftover food (as long as it’s safe to do so). These can help trace the source of the contamination.
- Document everything: Write down your symptoms, the time they began, and where you ate.
- Ask for written statements: If you were dining with others who also fell ill, their statements can further support your claim.
- Take photos: Images of meals, conditions of the venue, or unsanitary food packaging can serve as useful evidence.
Time is especially critical for food poisoning claims. Some bacteria clear from the system quickly, so prompt action will improve your chances of success..
How to make a food poisoning compensation claim?
Each food poisoning compensation case is unique, but if you work with us to make your claim, you can expect the following:
- Free initial consultation: We start with a no-obligation chat to discuss the details of your case, including your symptoms, where and when you ate the food, and what you think caused your illness.
- Evidence gathering: We’ll help you gather the evidence to prove your claim.
- Expert legal guidance: Our experienced solicitors will keep you updated at every step and fight for the maximum compensation you deserve. Plus, with our no-win, no-fee guarantee, you’ll only pay us if we win your case.
- Court representation: Most food poisoning claims are settled out of court, but if your case does go to court we’ll make sure you have specialist representation.
Making food poisoning claims while on holiday
If you suffered food poisoning while abroad, you may be able to claim for compensation. Under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, UK tour operators are responsible for the safety and hygiene of food included in your booking.
Just make sure to keep any receipts and travel documents, and to record details of where and what you ate. Even if the food poisoning occurred overseas, the claim can be made from UK and our solicitors will be able to assist.
How much compensation can I claim for food poisoning?
Compensation for food poisoning varies depending on the severity of your symptoms, the impact it had on your life and work and the cost of any treatment you had to receive.
It’s also worth noting that personal injury compensation is divided between general damages, covering the pain and suffering of the injury or condition itself, and special damages, covering the financial implications of the injury or condition.
For a rough estimate of how much compensation you could be awarded, use our
How long do I have to claim for food poisoning?
In most cases, you have three years from the date of the illness, or from when you first became aware that your illness was caused by contaminated food. However, there are exceptions to the three year rule, such as:
- For children, the three-year period starts from their 18th birthday.
- There is no time limit for people who lack the mental capacity to manage their own legal affairs.
For more information on time limits for making a claim, head over to our helpful guide.
Why choose Injury Lawyers 4u for your food poisoning claim?
We have decades of experience in winning personal injury cases for our clients and helping them to secure the maximum amount of compensation – and that includes food poisoning claims. We handle your claim with care, clarity, and determination, taking you through every step of the process and fighting in your corner every step of the way. And with our no-win, no-fee promise, you won’t pay us anything until we win your case.
So if you’ve experienced food poisoning as a result of someone else’s negligence, make a claim with Injury Lawyers 4u. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation. Call us on 0333 400 4445 or fill in a contact form and we’ll get back to you right away.