Can I Sue for Getting Sick from Eating Raw Food?

Eating food that isn’t fully cooked, or not cooked properly, can be dangerous to your health. A burger that looks done on the outside, chicken that’s pink in the middle, or seafood that wasn’t prepared to the proper temperature can all harbor harmful bacteria or parasites. When undercooked meals lead to serious illnesses like salmonella or E. coli, victims often face hospital stays, lost wages, and lengthy recoveries.

If a restaurant, caterer, or food supplier serves undercooked food that makes you sick, you may have the right to hold them legally accountable. RTRLAW’s experienced food poisoning attorneys help victims of negligent food preparation pursue compensation for their medical costs and other damages.

What Is Food Poisoning?

Foodborne illnesses occur when bacteria, viruses, parasites, or toxins contaminate food. While many people recover after a few uncomfortable days, severe cases can require hospitalization or even cause long-term health problems.

When someone gets sick after eating raw food, the key legal concern is whether negligence played a role. Restaurants, food suppliers, and distributors have a duty to handle and prepare food safely. If they fail to follow proper food-safety practices, such as maintaining correct refrigeration temperatures, preventing cross-contamination, or providing adequate warnings about the risks of the food in their establishments, they may be held responsible.

What Are Some of the Reasons You Can Sue for Eating Undercooked Food?

Not every case of food poisoning results in a successful lawsuit, but when food is served undercooked, and causes illness, you may have a strong claim. To recover damages, you must show that the illness was caused by negligence and that the contaminated meal directly led to your sickness.

Situations that may support a valid claim include:

• A restaurant serving chicken, burgers, or other meats that were not cooked to safe internal temperatures.
• A catering company failing to cook large batches of food thoroughly or allowing cooked food to cool to unsafe temperatures.
• A grocery store selling pre-cooked or ready-to-eat meals that were improperly prepared or stored.

A manufacturer distributing packaged meals or frozen products that tested positive for harmful bacteria because they were not properly processed.

Establishing a clear connection between the undercooked food and your illness is critical. Medical records, lab tests identifying the bacteria or virus, and documentation from health departments all help prove your case.

Who Can Be Held Liable for Foodborne Illnesses Caused by Undercooked Food?

Multiple parties can be responsible when unsafe, undercooked food leads to a foodborne illness. Often more than one business shares liability if they failed to handle or cook food properly, including:

• Restaurants and Caterers: Must follow strict cooking guidelines and check internal temperatures to ensure food is safe to serve.
• Food Distributors and Suppliers: Can be liable if contamination occurs while transporting or storing ingredients, increasing the risk of undercooking.
• Manufacturers and Processors: May be responsible if pre-packaged or prepared foods were improperly processed, making thorough cooking impossible.
• Retailers and Grocery Stores: Could be held accountable for selling prepared foods or ready-to-eat meals that were not cooked or reheated to safe temperatures.

An experienced food poisoning attorney can investigate every stage of the food’s journey to identify where safety measures failed. By pursuing claims against all responsible parties, RTRLAW helps victims preserve evidence, protect their rights, and maximize all potential compensation.

How Do You Prove Someone Got Food Poisoning For Raw Food?

Because symptoms can appear hours or days later, proving a food poisoning case takes careful evidence gathering. Acting quickly helps confirm the source of the contamination and protects your legal rights.

May sure to keep diligent records of any and all of the following:

• Photographs and/or Video Proof: Hands down the biggest and best piece of evidence is pictures and/or video of the raw, undercooked, or contaminated food. A raw chicken sandwich, bloody chicken wings, a worm crawling out of your food. These are all horrific things to experience but without photographic or video evidence, it is extremely difficult to prove.
• Medical Documentation: Seek medical attention immediately. Lab tests that confirm the type of bacteria or virus are essential evidence.
• Health Department Reports: If multiple people become ill, local or state health agencies may investigate and issue findings that support your claim.
• Receipts and Records: Keep receipts, credit card statements, or packaging to prove where and when you purchased or consumed the food.
• Witness Statements: Friends or family who dined with you or employees who observed unsafe practices can provide valuable testimony.

These pieces of evidence work together to show how and where the contamination occurred. With proof in hand, your legal team can focus on the damages you have suffered.

What Are The Potential Legal Damages From Consuming Raw Food and Getting Sick?

In most cases, you have two years from the date of the incident to file a personal injury or product liability claim in Florida or Texas.

Because a foodborne illness can create steep medical bills and long-term health effects, starting sooner is always better. Both Florida & Texas law allows victims to seek compensation for the full range of losses, including:

• Medical expenses, including hospitalization and long-term treatment
• Lost wages or loss of earning capacity
• Pain and suffering, including lasting digestive issues or complications
• Wrongful death damages if a loved one dies from the illness

Recovering these damages helps victims rebuild their lives. Acting quickly ensures you meet all legal deadlines and preserve critical evidence.

Important evidence can disappear quickly, and the recollection of the incident can fade over time. Prompt action also gives health officials a chance to investigate and protect others from the same potential dangers.

Learn How RTRLAW Holds Restaurants Accountable & Builds a Winning Case On Your Behalf

Restaurants, distributors, and food manufacturers often have large legal teams and insurance companies working to protect them. Having an experienced attorney on your side evens the playing field and protects your rights.

RTRLAW’s personal injury attorneys know how to investigate contamination, work with medical experts, and build a strong case. With our help, you can pursue the compensation you deserve while focusing on your recovery.

Food poisoning from raw food is more than an inconvenience; it can cause serious health problems and significant financial stress. If you become sick after eating raw or undercooked food in Florida or Texas, you have the right to hold the responsible parties accountable.

Call RTRLAW today at 1-833-HIRE-RTR (1-833-447-3787) for a free, confidential consultation. Our food poisoning lawyers will review your case, explain your options, and fight to recover the maximum compensation you deserve.