Food poisoning compensation claims
If you’ve suffered food poisoning after eating food that wasn’t safe, you might be able to claim compensation.
Food poisoning compensation claims
If you’ve suffered food poisoning after eating food that wasn’t safe, you might be able to claim compensation.
Food poisoning can leave you in severe pain, constantly in and out of the bathroom, unable to work and worried about what’s happening to your body. If it’s happened to you, you deserve straight answers and practical support.
Making a claim isn’t about blaming someone for an honest mistake. It’s about whether a business or organisation failed to keep food safe and whether that failure caused you to become ill.
What counts as food poisoning?
Food poisoning can be caused by germs like bacteria, viruses or parasites, or toxins in food and drink. People often experience the following symptoms:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Stomach cramps
- Fever, chills, aches or fatigue
- Dehydration, dizziness or weakness
Some cases clear up quickly. Others can be much more serious — especially for children, older people, pregnant people, or anyone with an underlying health condition.
What our clients say
Common causes of food poisoning
Food poisoning claims are commonly a result of:
- Poor hygiene and unsafe food handling
- Food not cooked thoroughly
- Food stored at the wrong temperature
- Food left out too long before serving
- Cross-contamination
- Contaminated ingredients or supply chain issues
You don’t need to prove exactly what went wrong on day one. Our job is to investigate what should have happened, what likely went wrong, and how that led to your illness.
Where can food poisoning happen?
Food poisoning can happen in lots of everyday settings, including:
- Restaurants, cafés, pubs and takeaways
- Workplace canteens and staff kitchens
- Schools, nurseries, care homes and hospitals
- Festivals, weddings, corporate events and venues
- Supermarkets, shops and other retailers
- Delivered meals and meal kits
If you became ill after eating at home, you might still have a claim if the unsafe food came from a retailer, manufacturer or takeaway.
Who could be responsible?
Responsibility depends on where the unsafe food came from and what went wrong. Potentially liable parties can include:
- A restaurant, café, pub or takeaway that prepared or served the food
- A supermarket or food retailer that sold unsafe products
- A manufacturer that produced contaminated food
- A caterer or event organiser responsible for food service
- A school, care home, hospital or employer responsible for meals
Essentially, if they had a duty to keep food safe and they didn’t meet that duty, they might be liable.
What do I need to prove?
Most food poisoning claims come down to three points:
- Duty of care — The business or organisation had a duty to keep food safe
- Breach — Something went wrong
- Causation — That breach caused you to become ill
We’ll look at the full picture, exploring your symptoms, timings, where you ate, what you ate, whether anyone else was ill, and what evidence is available.
What evidence helps a food poisoning claim?
Don’t worry if you don’t have everything. Many people come to us after the worst of it, when receipts are missing and the meal is long gone. You can still start a claim. Evidence that often helps includes:
- Medical records
- A clear timeline of what you ate and when symptoms began
- Receipts / bank statements / order confirmations showing where you ate or what you bought
- Photos of the food, packaging, dates or conditions
- Reports to environmental health or the Food Standards Agency
- Witness details
- Proof of losses like payslips, sick notes, prescription costs or travel expenses
If multiple people were affected, that can strengthen the case but it’s not essential.
How long do food poisoning claims take?
It depends on the complexity of the case, how quickly evidence can be gathered, and whether the other side admits liability. Some cases resolve relatively quickly. Others take longer, especially if medical evidence is still developing or liability is disputed.
We’ll keep you updated throughout, so you always know what’s happening and why.
Time limits for food poisoning claims
In most cases, you have three years to start a claim. The three-year period usually runs from the date you became ill, or the date you first realised your illness was linked to unsafe food.
Different rules can apply for children or people who lack mental capacity. If you’re unsure, speak to us as soon as you can, even if you think you might be out of time.
No win, no fee food poisoning claims
We handle food poisoning claims on a no win, no fee basis. This means:
- No upfront payment to start your claim
- No legal fees to pay if your claim doesn’t succeed
- A success fee is only payable if you win
- We’ll explain how this works clearly before you decide to go ahead.
Why choose Express Solicitors?
When you’re ill, the last thing you need is the added pressure of paperwork, chasing evidence and arguing with insurers. We can help.
With Express Solicitors, you get:
- A supportive team who treat you like a person, not a file
- Clear advice in plain English
- Help gathering medical evidence and documenting your losses
- Regular updates so you’re never left in the dark
What to do if you think you have food poisoning
If you’re dealing with symptoms now, your health comes first. As a general guide, it can help to:
- Seek medical advice if symptoms are severe, you’re worried, or symptoms don’t improve
- Keep a note of what you ate, where you ate, and when symptoms started
- Save receipts, order confirmations and packaging if you still have them
- If appropriate, report the incident to environmental health
This isn’t medical advice, these are simply practical steps that can support you and your claim.
Get in touch
If you’ve been unfortunate enough to have suffered food poisoning, you have rights in the UK. Simply get in touch with our experts and see if you have a valid case.
