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You are in: Home Page | Personal Injury | Hazardous Substances Claims | E-Coli Poisoning Claim

E-Coli Poisoning Claims

What is E-Coli?
  Introduction to E-Coli
Am I at risk of contracting E-Coli Poisoning?
  How is E-Coli Poisoning Contracted?
Symptoms of E-Coli Poisoning
  How serious is E-Coli Poisoning?
Claiming Compensation for E-Coli Poisoning
  E-Coli Compensation Claim Advice

What is E-Coli?

Introduction to E-Coli

E-Coli is the more commonly known term for Escherichia coli which is a type of bacteria which lives in the lower intestines of healthy mammals (including humans). It is not always harmful and lives inside the intestines to help the body break down and digest food.

There are different strains of E-Coli and some can be very harmful and even fatal if ingested by humans.

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Am I at risk of contracting E-Coli Poisoning?

How is E-Coli Poisoning Contracted?

As E-Coli lives inside the intestines of animals and humans it is often found in faeces. There are several ways in which people can contract E-Coli poisoning transferred from faeces:

1) Improper handling of animals and meat on farms and in abattoirs / meat processing plants leading to meat being contaminated with animal faeces, although washing and cooking food properly will destroy the E-Coli bacteria and prevent food poisoning. Special care should be taken by professional cooks and chefs to ensure good hygiene procedures are followed in the kitchen and meat is cooked through.

2) If a person handling food fails to wash their hands after visiting the toilet or after handling raw meat which could be infected with E-Coli, the bacteria can be transferred very easily to kitchen surfaces, utensils or other items of food such as salads and vegetables which are eaten raw. Extra care should be taken by professional cooks and chefs to ensure that good hygiene procedures are followed.

3) If a person touches a cow, sheep or goat they should wash their hands immediately afterwards as this type of contact can cause the E-Coli to transfer from animal to human.  Extra special care should be taken by parents or guardians taking children to petting farms to ensure the children wash their hands after touching animals.

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Symptoms of E-Coli Poisoning

How serious is E-Coli Poisoning?

There are different strains of E-Coli and of course every person's body will react slightly differently therefore the seriousness of E-Coli infection can vary greatly.  Some people will feel ill for only a short while whilst in other cases, the illness can cause serious long-term or permanent problems such as kidney damage.  E-Coli poisoning can even prove to be fatal in some cases.

Common symptoms include stomach cramps, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and blood in stools.

E-Coli 0157 for example is a very harmful strain and is particularly dangerous to elderly people, children and those with a weak immune system such as people who have undergone chemotherapy.  Young people are at an increased risk as they cannot tolerate much fluid loss without becoming seriously ill.

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Claiming Compensation for E-Coli Poisoning

E-Coli Compensation Claim Advice

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with E-Coli poisoning and it was contracted due to someone else's negligence, you may be able to make a personal injury compensation claim.

Our specialist personal injury lawyers will be happy to talk you through the process of making a claim in plain English and will be happy to answer any questions or queries you may have. If you do have a valid compensation claim for personal injuries and you decide to instruct Thompsons Solicitors to deal with the matter for you, we will recover our legal fees from the person responsible for your injury, ensuring that the entire procedure is cost-free for you. Telephone us now on 08000 224 224 or complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms.

There are strict time limits in place to make any personal injury claim. For further information, contact us or visit our Questions Answered page.

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