At Cohen and Cohen, P.C., you can consult a food poisoning lawyer Wheaton MD residents rely on. Cohen and Cohen, P.C. is a well-respected law firm whose attorneys fight vigorously for their clients. When individuals are seeking advice for a possible food poisoning claim, they may believe a restaurant has been the source of the illness. One of the first questions a food poisoning lawyer in Wheaton MD gets asked, is whether or not a restaurant can be sued for a foodborne illness. Here are 5 things to understand about this type of legal pursuit:
1. Food Poisoning May Be a Specific Pathogen
Various strains of bacteria or viruses can cause food poisoning. You may be familiar with names such as botulism, cyclospora, e.coli., hepatitis, listeria, norovirus, salmonella, shigella and vibrio. Each of these pathogens has their own symptoms, side effects and associated risks. When you go to a doctor because you’re feeling ill, and you believe you have food poisoning, he or she may conduct further testing to determine the pathogen. This may be especially important for a food poisoning lawyer Wheaton MD respects, because it can establish a link between your illness and a possible source of contamination.
2. PFGE Testing is Beneficial
When a large number of people have been sickened after eating at a particular establishment, health investigators may be sent to the scene to carry out a process called pulsed-field gel electrophoreses (PFGE). Like your DNA, a bacterium also has a genetic fingerprint. The PFGE test is able to match people who are ill with the bacterial ‘fingerprint’ found at a possible source, or in other people. For example, if 20 individuals developed salmonella, each had matching bacterial strains, and all consumed food at the same restaurant during the same time period, the source may easily be identified. When you reach out to a food poisoning lawyer Wheaton MD residents trust, he or she may choose to use PFGE testing in a claim.
3. Sometimes an Employee Causes the Outbreak
A food poisoning lawyer Wheaton MD residents turn to may consider an outbreak to be the result of a sick food worker. Although not always the case, it is possible for an employee to transmit the pathogen directly to food or preparation surfaces. As a result, any food item that comes into contact with the contaminated food or area could also become contaminated. For example, if an employee transmitted the illness to a piece of poultry that was being cut, and vegetables were then cut in the same area, they could also be tainted with the same pathogen.
5. Leftovers May Be Tested
If you have encountered food poisoning and still have leftovers from the suspected food contaminant, make an effort to store them in a sealed container. A food poisoning lawyer Wheaton MD respects may want to test these items for various possible pathogens.
6. Consider Contacting a Food Poisoning Lawyer in Wheaton MD
Even if no testing was carried out, you don’t know the food source, or are unsure about the pathogenic strain, you can still seek a Wheaton MD food poisoning lawyer for advice. Attorneys are very skillful and often have access to a number of resources which can be valuable in pursuing a possible claim.
Contacting a Food Poisoning Lawyer Wheaton MD Residents Can Count On
If you believe you have been the victim of foodborne illness, and are interested in taking legal action, you may want to contact Cohen and Cohen, P.C., a leading food poisoning lawyer Wheaton MD residents trust for advice, knowledge and honesty. Please contact us now for a free consultation at 301-760-3296.
