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VIBRIO INFECTION


Personal Injury Lawyer Reviewing Food Poisoning Cases for injured plaintiffs Nationwide
Nationwide Success

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Vibriosis (Vibrio) causes an estimated 80,000 illnesses and 100 deaths in the United States every year. About 52,000 of these reported illnesses are thought to be the result of eating contaminated food.

People with Vibriosis develop infections by consuming raw or undercooked seafood or exposing a wound to contaminated seawater. The majority of Vibrio infections occur from May through October each year, when water temperatures are warmer. The most commonly reported species of Vibrio is estimated to cause 45,000 illnesses each year in the United States.

Most people with a Vibrio infection become infected by eating raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly raw oysters. Certain Vibrio species can cause a skin infection when an open wound is exposed to contaminated brackish or salt water.

Joe Lyon is a highly-rated personal injury attorney with experience in filing vibrio infection lawsuit claims following injuries due to food poisoning. The Lyon Firm has represented plaintiffs nationwide in foodborne illness claims.


Vibrio Infection Lawsuit


People with compromised immune systems, especially those with chronic liver disease, are more likely to get vibriosis. Eating raw seafood like oysters, and exposing open wounds to brackish or salt water can increase a person’s chance for getting vibriosis. Other health conditions that place people at high risk for Food-borne Illness from Vibrio infections include:

  • Liver disease
  • Iron overload disease (hemochromatosis)
  • Diabetes
  • Cancer (lymphoma, leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease)
  • Stomach disorders
  • Compromised immune system, including HIV infection

In persons with liver disease, cancer, or another immune-compromising condition, Vibrio can infect the bloodstream, causing a life-threatening illness, or require amputation.

About 50 percent of Vibrio bloodstream infections are fatal, and death can occur within two days. Most people with a mild case of vibriosis, however, recover after about 3 days with no lasting effects.


Symptoms of Vibrio Infection


After eating raw or undercooked seafood that has been contaminated by a type of Vibrio, non-bloody diarrhea is the first sign of infection. Most symptoms will present in one to 7 days and last for up to a week. Symptoms associated with mild and severe cases may include:

  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal pain
  • Sudden chills
  • Fever
  • Shock
  • Skin lesions

If you develop severe illness within a few days after eating raw or undercooked shellfish, contact a medical professional.

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ABOUT THE LYON FIRM

Joseph Lyon has 17 years of experience representing individuals in complex litigation matters. He has represented individuals in every state against many of the largest companies in the world.

The Firm focuses on single-event civil cases and class actions involving corporate neglect & fraud, toxic exposure, product defects & recalls, medical malpractice, and invasion of privacy.

NO COST UNLESS WE WIN

The Firm offers contingency fees, advancing all costs of the litigation, and accepting the full financial risk, allowing our clients full access to the legal system while reducing the financial stress while they focus on their healthcare and financial needs.

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A Voice for Those who have suffered

Why are these cases important?

Serious injuries and accidents often result through no fault of the injured party, yet the injured victim suffers from life altering physical, mental and financial losses. Such economic and human losses can have devastating financial consequences on individuals and families if not properly compensated. Tort law allows those individuals to seek just legal recourse through personal injury lawsuits.

CONTACT THE LYON FIRM TODAY

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Questions about Food Poisoning Cases

Why Should I File a Food Poisoning Lawsuit?

According to the most recent data collected by the CDC, the majority (64 percent) of serious food poisoning outbreaks are caused by food prepared at restaurants, catering events or banquet facilities.

A legal claim against a company is likely to get a fast settlement if you hire an experience personal injury attorney. Filing a lawsuit indicates to the company that you are prepared to prove with sufficient evidence that their negligence caused a serious illness.

A legal claim also communicates to the company that you have an attorney that is willing to fight the company for however long it takes to win rightful compensation.

Once an injury claim is filed, an attorney can take legal steps to obtain relevant corporate and health department documents to help bolster a food poisoning case. Without a lawsuit, it may be difficult to get important company information. At this point, an attorney can interview restaurant employees, management, and other people involved to get additional information.

If you fall seriously ill, you may not be the only one. You may be part of an outbreak that must be contained for the sake of public health safety. Local health departments should know if you are part of an outbreak. People sickened in an outbreak may be able to seek settlements from the company that owns the restaurant.

Whether you get food poisoning from a restaurant or from contaminated food directly from a distributor, contact an attorney to find out if you have a case to sue for rightful compensation.

How Can I identify My Food Contamination?

Food poisoning occurs when the contaminated food enters the production line — any point during the growing, harvesting, processing, storage, shipping or preparation of the food product. Often cross-contamination and national or international distribution multiply the impacts of a single food outbreak.

The most hazardous culprits include raw foods of animal origin, such as raw meat, poultry, shellfish, uncooked eggs, and unpasteurized milk. Raw fruits and vegetables can also be a concern. Even foods like corn or cereals can contain high levels of mycotoxins, produced by mold on grain.

To protect your legal rights after falling ill from food poisoning, it is important that a medical professional test a urine, blood and stool sample to determine the specific pathogen (bacteria, virus or parasite) that made you sick.

This can narrow down where and how you were affected. Bacterial cells must be sent to a laboratory for genetic testing, and the results will be crucial evidence for a plaintiff. If you have any questions about the important lab testing or legal procedure, contact The Lyon Firm for information.

If the DNA patterns match, this is important evidence that can lead to a successful legal claim. Once you have medical evidence on your side, a personal injury attorney can advise you how to proceed against the negligent party that caused the illness.

Leftover food is sometimes tested to find out if it is contaminated. In some disease outbreaks, lawyers and health officials have gathered leftover food suspected of being the source of an illness. It is important to talk to a lawyer before throwing out leftover food from a restaurant.

How Can I Treat Food Poisoning?

Specific treatment for food poisoning depends on the severity and the source of the illness, if known. For most people, the illness resolves without treatment within a few days, though some types of food poisoning can last much longer. Treatment may include:

  • Rehydration/replacement of fluids and electrolytes—minerals that maintain the balance of fluids in your body are lost in persistent diarrhea and need to be replaced. Some patients with severe diarrhea or vomiting may need hospitalization, where they can receive intravenous salts and fluids to treat dehydration.
  • Antibiotics—doctors prescribe antibiotics with certain kinds of bacterial food poisoning. As a general rule, the sooner the treatment begins, the better the results. However, antibiotics may actually worsen symptoms in certain kinds of viral or bacterial food poisoning so it is crucial to identify the affecting pathogen first.