The Center for Disease Control estimates that each year 48 million people get sick from a foodborne illness, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die.1
Many different disease-causing germs can contaminate foods, so there are many different foodborne infections.
- Researchers have identified more than 250 foodborne diseases.
- Most of them are infections, caused by a variety of bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
- Harmful toxins and chemicals also can contaminate foods and cause foodborne illness.
Common symptoms of foodborne diseases are nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. However, symptoms may differ among the different types of foodborne diseases. Symptoms can sometimes be severe and some foodborne illnesses can even be life-threatening. Although anyone can get a foodborne illness, some people are more likely to develop one.
Most people with a foodborne illness get better without medical treatment, but people with severe symptoms should see their doctor.
The top five germs that cause illnesses from food eaten in the United States are:
- Norovirus
- Salmonella
- Clostridium perfringens
- Campylobacter
- Staphylococcus aureus (Staph)
Some other germs don’t cause as many illnesses, but when they do, the illnesses are more likely to lead to hospitalization. Those germs include:
- Clostridium botulinum (botulism)
- Listeria
- Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia (E. coli) O157
- Vibrio
If you or a loved one has suffered from a foodborne illness, please seek medical attention first and foremost. Then, contact The ORLANDO Firm, P.C. for a free consultation to determine if you are eligible for legal compensation due to significant injuries resulting from your illness. If you are unable to come to our office, we can visit you in your home or hospital room. Please call us at 404-373-1800 or toll free at 1-866-373-1800. While we cannot guarantee the outcome of your case, we promise to provide you with legal representation aimed at helping you through a difficult and painful time of your life. We will do our best to make sure that you make the recovery to which you are entitled. There may be time limits on filing your claim, so it is important to seek legal counsel as quickly as you are able. Always remember, if we don’t win your case, you pay us nothing.
NOTE: You are not a client of The ORLANDO Firm, P.C. until you have executed an attorney-client contract for employment of the firm, and the contract has been signed by a member of the firm.
1 “Food Safety.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20 Dec. 2017. Web. 7 Jan. 2018. www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/foodborne-germs.html