Food poisoning could mean medical bills and massive wage losses

What you eat can be a source of pleasure as well as nutrition. Some people will go so far as to say that food is medicine because healthy eating choices can drastically improve someone’s overall health and quality of life. Unfortunately, the inverse is also true. When you eat something that isn’t good for you, it can do substantial damage.

For most people, the foods they eat that aren’t good for them are conscious choices. People indulge in junk food or just consume far more than they should. For a small fraction of people, medical issues caused by food are the result not of a personal decision but rather negligence on the part of a business.

Food poisoning is something that should never occur when someone patronizes a restaurant or buys prepared food products at a grocery store.

Food-borne illnesses and food poisoning are almost completely preventable

There are state, federal and even local rules and laws aimed at making food service as safe as possible. Enforcement of these rules can come from many different levels of government.

County Health Departments might issue citations against restaurants or even close them down if they have had repeated or dangerous violations of public health code. Federal regulatory agencies may take action against grocery stores or food producers who send tainted products out to the public.

There are many rules in place that could all but eliminate food poisoning if properly followed. Maintaining consistent temperatures for foods, tracking when someone opens or makes food products, adequate labeling and employee protective gear can all go a long way toward eliminating bacteria, viruses and fungi from foods. 

Food poisoning can be more than just a mere inconvenience

Some people who develop food-borne illnesses will just be sick one time and feel better by the next morning. Others could contract far more serious medical conditions that require a leave of absence from their job or even hospitalization.

Salmonella and E.coli are among some of the more common and virulent pathogens that can cause food poisoning. They could mean weeks of medical care and missed work, all of which can cause substantial financial strain for you, on top of your suffering as you recover from the illness itself. As previously mentioned, businesses that adhere to best practices and food safety laws can all but eliminate the risk of food becoming contaminated or workers passing illnesses to others.

When you know that a specific business or restaurant caused your food poisoning, you may be able to take action against that business. Provided that you suffered verifiable financial losses such as medical bills and lost wages, you could have grounds for a claim against a company whose corner-cutting when it comes to food safety resulted in your getting sick.