Personal injury advice from
Thompsons Solicitors
E-coli Claim Advice
If you or a member of your family has contracted E-coli due to the negligence of someone else, you may be in a position to make a compensation claim.
Contact The Legal Line on 0800 0328511, or by completing a claim enquiry form online, for cost-free injury claim advice from our specialist personal injury lawyers.
What is E-coli?
Preventing E-coli infections
Who is at risk of contracting E-coli?
Food poisoning
E-coli and medical negligence
E-coli compensation
Making a compensation claim
Our expert lawyers
What is E-coli?
Escherichia coli, usually known as E-coli, is a type of bacteria commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals. Most strains of the bacteria are not harmful, however some can cause serious illness.
The bacteria is found in faeces and it can be transmitted through contaminated food or water, contact with certain animals or due to insufficient standards of hygiene in hospitals and care homes treating infected patients.
Most people will recover from a bout of E-coli within a week or so, however some people may be more seriously affected and an infection can even result in a fatality. One, serious complication known to be caused by E-coli is haemolytic uremic syndrome (or HUS), which kills red blood cells and can lead to severe kidney damage.
Symptoms of an e-coli infection can include: stomach cramps, diarrhoea, vomiting, blood in the stools and stomach pain. They can develop within hours of ingesting the bacteria, or can come on up to several days later, dependent upon the strain, the health of the person affected and how much of the bacteria entered their system.
Preventing E-coli infections
There are certain measures that you can take to minimise your risk of contracting E-coli, including:
• Disinfect surfaces before and after food preparation
• Wash all fruit and vegetables thoroughly before consumption
• Ensure that food is thoroughly cooked before eating
• Avoid drinking unpasteurised milk or juices
• Thoroughly wash your hands after using the toilet, before eating, after touching raw meat and after contact with animals
• Restrict contact with anyone suffering from an E-coli infection to an absolute minimum
Who is at risk of contracting E-coli?
Anyone can contract E-coli, however there are certain groups of people that are more vulnerable to the effects and more likely to experience complications. Young children, the elderly and those with a compromised immune system are at particular risk.
Food poisoning
The most common cause of E-coli infections is food poisoning through the consumption of contaminated food, most often when meat has not been cooked thoroughly enough or where fruits and salad vegetables have not been properly washed.
It is therefore important to follow hygienic practices if you are preparing food yourself and avoid eating food purchased from a shop or restaurant if you are in any doubt about its safety.
If you suffer an E-coli infection as the result of eating contaminated food at a restaurant, you may be entitled to make a personal injury claim.
E-coli and medical negligence
E-coli can be passed from person to person in hospitals and care homes if strict procedures for cleanliness and hygiene are not followed. For example, nursing staff should ensure that they wash their hands thoroughly after contact with any patient suffering an infection before treating someone else, and surfaces and utensils in wards should be regularly cleaned and sterilised.
There may also be cases where an E-coli infection is misdiagnosed and there is a delay in treatment, leading to a worse outcome for the patient.
If you are affected in this way, a medical negligence claim may be possible.
E-coli compensation
There are two elements to a compensation award. The first is for the pain and suffering caused together with damages for what is known as loss of amenity. This is called general damages and can include an award for your inability to do things that you used to be able to do before such as wash your car, look after your garden, walk the dog etc.
The second element of a compensation award is for your losses and expenses resulting from the infection and is known as special damages. It is important to keep receipts for any expenditure you have related to your illness, so that these can be reclaimed. The aim is to put you back in a position financially as if the infection had never occurred.
Making a compensation claim
If you suffer an E-coli infection that you believe was caused by the negligence of a third party, you should seek legal advice at the earliest opportunity. Your lawyer will be able to collate all of the necessary evidence and advise you on how best to pursue your case.
You should also inform your doctor, so that local authority environmental health officers and the Food Standards Agency can be notified in case an inspection is necessary (for example, in the case of a restaurant), and try to find out if other people have been affected.
In the case of E-coli contracted through contaminated food, you should note down details of when and where you purchased / ate the food you suspect may be the cause, keep a note of what else you have eaten, retain receipts, packaging and any of the food that you may still have.
In every personal injury case, medical evidence will be required and it is necessary to show that the person you are making a claim against owed you a duty of care, that they breached that duty of care (were negligent), and that the injury you sustained was a reasonably foreseeable consequence of that negligence.
It is also useful to keep details and receipts of any personal expenses that have arisen as the result of your injury or illness as well, as it may be possible to reclaim these at a later date.
Our expert lawyers
At The Legal Line, our expert personal injury lawyers are experienced in all areas of personal injury, including product liability, public liability and clinical negligence, so we can provide you with expert injury claim advice, assistance and guidance on your potential case.
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