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Posted by: OFT Food Safety & Injury Lawyers

The signs of food poisoning can vary widely. Some victims think they’re suffering from a simple stomach bug, while others may end up needing hospital care, or facing severe health consequences. Depending on the source of your particular illness, you may have differences in severity, onset, and duration of your symptoms.

If you think you have food poisoning, it’s important to reach out to your doctor and a food poisoning attorney. Depending on the details of your case and your damages, you may be able to receive financial compensation. In our work representing victims of food poisoning, we’ve seen many different kinds of food poisoning, as well as learned about some of the key signs of food poisoning.

Common Symptoms of Food Poisoning

Most victims of food poisoning share a combination of the following symptoms:

  • Stomach cramping
  • Upset stomach
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Fever

Depending on your health, any medications you may have taken, and the strain of germ that caused your illness, your exact symptoms may vary. You may also suffer from dehydration, dizziness, and confusion, among other side effects of your symptoms.

You may also find yourself suffering from unusual or severe symptoms or deal with unexpected consequences of food poisoning. While most cases of food poisoning pass without causing long term health problems, it’s important to stay aware of the dangers of food poisoning.

Unusual Signs and Complications

While you will likely have multiple common symptoms, some victims of food poisoning suffer from unusual symptoms. The strain of bacteria and your own health can result in the following, less common symptoms:

  • Dry mouth
  • Fatigue
  • Chill
  • Bloating
  • Gas
  • Bloody stool
  • Weight loss
  • Blurred or double vision
  • Paralysis and muscle weakness
  • Respiratory difficulties

These symptoms are less common but can still point to a diagnosis of food poisoning. These symptoms also often require additional medical attention.

Certain strains of bacteria can also cause permanent health problems for food poisoning sufferers. Victims of food poisoning who are pregnant may see birth defects or DNA abnormalities. Other sufferers of food poisoning may find themselves dealing with arthritis, brain or nerve damage, gastrointestinal disorders, kidney failure, and more.

The young, immunocompromised, pregnant, and elderly are more vulnerable to these severe, long term effects and complications. If you are at risk of serious food poisoning complications, it’s important to know when you should seek immediate medical attention.

Onset Time Frame

The onset of food poisoning can vary widely, depending on the source of your illness. There are ten major types of food poisoning bacteria. The quickest type of bacteria, staphylococcus aureus, can take effect less than an hour after consuming contaminated food, while listeria has an onset window of one to four weeks.

We’ve gathered here a list of the ten major strains and how quickly you can expect symptoms to start.

For some of these strains, you may not even realize that you suffered from food poisoning, while others may strike so swiftly that you don’t have a doubt in your mind where you were exposed.

Contact OFT Food Safety and Injury Lawyers

If you know you’ve suffered food poisoning, reaching out to a food poisoning attorney can help you recover medical costs, plan for future care, and protect others from suffering the same fate. Food poisoning can change your life, leaving you with financial stress or serious medical issues for years to come.

At OFT, we help our clients get results and protect their futures. Don’t let someone else’s negligence leave you or your loved ones suffering. Our team can help you build your case, negotiate your settlement, and understand your rights, so that you can focus on your health. Food safety law can be complex, so you need a highly experienced attorney on your side to help you get the justice you deserve.

Call us today at (888) 828-7087 or reach out to us online to schedule your free consultation.

Notable Recoveries

$10 million

Seven infants were sickened after consuming a contaminated food product marketed to infants

$6.5 million

Verdict on behalf of a little boy who contracted a severe Salmonella infection from chicken

$7.55 million

Verdict on behalf of a little girl who contracted E. coli at a petting zoo

$2.25 million

E. coli infections contracted from a major fast food chain

$45 million

An over-the-counter medication caused severe kidney damage to multiple users

$3.4 million

A pregnant woman contracted a Listeria infection from contaminated fruit and passed the infection to her child

$3 million

Multistate Cyclospora outbreaks

$275,000

A couple contracted Salmonella from a restaurant

$525,000

A pedestrian was struck by a left-turning car, fracturing her tibia

$700,000

A semi-truck rear-ended a motorcyclist causing a collapsed lung, rib fractures and road rash