New York Food Poisoning Attorneys

Food poisoning or foodborne illness is a disease of the gastrointestinal tract that results from eating contaminated food.  Food poisoning can be caused by various organisms, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites.  Contamination of food can occur at any point during its production: growing, harvesting, processing, storing, shipping, or preparing.  Cross-contamination, which is the transfer of infectious organisms from one surface to another, is often the cause. 

After consuming contaminated food, illness can be from schort and mild to a life-threatening disease requiring hospitalization.  The United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that there are 76,000,000 cases of foodborne illness in the United States each year, that 300,000 people are hospitalized, and that 5,000 people die.

Although everyone is at risk, the foodborne infections create a greater risk for severe complications, permanent disability, and death for infants, children, the elderly, and pregnant women.  Symptoms include, but are not limited to, mild to severe diarrhea (often bloody), fever, nausea, vomiting, chills, flu-like symptoms, convulsions, fatigue, and abdominal cramping and pain. 

According to the CDC, the most common foodborne infections are those cause by the following bacteria: Escherichia Coli (specifically, e.coli O157:H7); Campylobacter; Salmonella; and Listeria, along with a group of viruses called noroviruses.  Other infections that can be caused by food transmission include Shigella, Hepatitis A, and the parasites Giardia Lamblia and Cryptosporidia Food Poisoning.  In addition, a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum (botulism) can cause the deadly disease, Botulism.  Unfortunately, the damages caused can potentially cause major harm to the human body, requiring the need for a Food Poisoning attorney to assist in your legal representation.

E.coli Food Poisoning symptoms usually arise within 1 to 8 days.  It is transmitted from contaminated beef during slaughter and spread mainly by undercooking.  E.coli also can be transmitted from unpasteurized milk, unpasteurized apple cider, alfalfa sprouts, and contaminated sewage water.

Campylobacter symptoms usually occur within 2 to 5 days.  Meat and poultry can be contaminated with this bacteria during processing.  Transmission also can occur from unpasteurized milk and water containing sewage.

Clostridium Perfringens symptoms usually occur within 8 to 16 hours.  It usually is transmitted from meats and gravies.

Hepatitis A symptoms usually occur at about 28 days.  It is transmitted from raw ready-to-eat produce and shellfish from contaminated waters.  It also can be spread from an infected food handler. 

Listeria Food Poisoning symptoms usually occur within 9 to 48 hours.  It is transmitted from hot dogs, luncheon meats, unpasteurized milk and cheese, and unwashed raw produce.

Salmonella Food Poisoning symptoms usually occur within 1 to 3 days.  It is transmitted from raw or contaminated meat, poultry, or egg yolks.  It can be spread by cooking utensils, cutting surfaces or an infected food handler.

Shigella symptoms usually occur within 24 to 48 hours.  It is transmitted from raw, ready-to-eat produce.  It also can be spread by an infected food handler.

Noroviruses (Norwalk-like viruses) Food Poisoning symptoms usually occur within 12 to 48 hours.  It is transmitted from raw, ready-to-eat produce and shellfish from contaminated water.  It also can be spread by an infected food handler.

The most common serious complication of food poisoning is dehydration.  Other serious complications include hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can occur if an individual has been infected with e.coli O157:H7.  HUS can cause serious damage to the lining of blood vessel walls and, in certain cases, kidney failure.  Other complications include Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) , which is a rare paralytic peripheral nerve system disorder.  Another possible complication of foodborne illness is Reiter's Syndrome, commonly known as reactive arthritis.  The arthritis may affect any joint in the body.  Other rare complications include seizures, systemic infection, and chronic arthritis conditions.

Outbreaks have occurred in these States & Regions
Alabama	New Hampshire
Connecticut	New Jersey
Delaware	New York
Florida	North Carolina
Georgia	Ohio
Illinois	Pennsylvania
Indiana	Rhode Island
Kentucky	South Carolina
Maine	Tennessee
Maryland	Vermont
Massachusetts	Virginia
Michigan	Washington, D. C.
Mississippi	West Virginia
	Wisconsin
Outbreaks have occurred in these Cities
Birmingham, AL	Jersey City, NJ
Huntsville, AL	Buffalo, NY
Dover, DE	Yonkers, NY
Tampa, FL	Greensboro, NC
Atlanta, GA	Cleveland, OH
Chicago, IL	Akron, OH
Fort Wayne, IN	Providence, RI
Louisville, KY	Knoxville, TN
Boston, MA	Chesapeake, VA
Detroit, MI	Milwaukee, WI
Newark, NJ	Mobile, AL
New York City, NY	Wilmington, DE
Syracuse, NY	Miami, FL
Raleigh, NC	Hialeah, FL
Columbus, OH	Richmond, GA
Toledo, OH	Indianapolis, IN
Pittsburgh, PA	Fayette, KY
Nashville, TN	Baltimore, MD
Norfolk, VA	Springfield, MA
Richmond, VA	Jackson, MS
Montgomery, AL	Paterson, NJ
Bridgeport, CT	Rochester, NY
Jacksonville, FL	Charlotte, NC
Orlando, FL	Durham, NC
Augusta, GA	Cincinnati, OH
Rockford, IL	Philadelphia, PA
Lexington, KY	Memphis, TN
Portland, ME	Virginia Beach, VA
Worcester, MA	Arlington, VA
Grand Rapids, MI	Madison, WI