NYC Attorney for Injuries Caused by Objects in Your Food

Finding a foreign object in your food may not happen often, but when it does, it can be devastating. An object in your food can cause food poisoning, damage to teeth and internal organs, and more. If you suffered an injury because you ate something with an object in it, you shouldn’t be responsible for paying the medical bills or losing wages because you can’t work; you can file a lawsuit against the restaurant or company that created or served the food with the object in it.

The NYC personal injury attorneys at Sullivan & Galleshaw, LLP, are able to assist victims of injuries caused by objects in food to file lawsuits. Our legal team can put our decades of experience to use to help you negotiate a settlement for damages. Get in touch with us soon to discuss the future of your case. Call (718) 843-0300 today.

Injuries That Can Be Caused by Objects in Your Food

A foreign object in food is anything that is not meant to be eaten. It may be glass, ceramic, plastic, an animal part not intended for consumption, screws, band-aids, jewelry, wood chips, small animals, insects, or other small items. These objects usually end up in food because of a malfunction at the facility where the food was packaged or because there was a mishap in the kitchen where it was prepared.

Biting, swallowing, or making contact with any of these objects with your mouth can result in severe injuries. In some cases, a naturally occurring part of the food product, such as a pit, shell, or bone, may cause the injury; in these cases, it is more difficult to hold the restaurant or manufacturer responsible. The following are injuries that can result from eating food that has a foreign object in it.

Choking

If the foreign object that you’ve found in your food is fairly large or made of a hard material, it is possible for it to obstruct your airway, causing choking. The risk of choking is even higher with foreign objects than it is with food, since it is not likely that the foreign object is able to be chewed. Certain foreign objects found in food can also cause vomiting, which is an additional choking hazard.

Puncture Wounds and Lacerations

Depending on the size and shape of the object in your food and the material that it’s made of, a foreign object can cause punctures and lacerations. As the foreign object is swallowed, it can puncture and cause lacerations to the mouth, throat, stomach, or intestines – any of which could present a serious health problem. In many cases, the victim will require invasive surgery to remove the object from their internal organs. Foreign objects in food can also damage teeth; since the victim is not expecting the foreign object, their teeth may break off or chip when attempting to bite into their food.

Food Poisoning

Depending on what the foreign object is made of, it may cause food poisoning. If the object is made of a substance that is not suitable for human digestion, it can cause severe illness.

What to Do If You Find an Object in Your Food

If you find a foreign object in your food, there are certain steps that you should take to increase your chances of winning a lawsuit. Find out more below:

1. Get medical attention from a healthcare professional immediately. Doing so helps you demonstrate that the injury that you suffered because of the foreign object was serious. Make sure that you keep all of the medical documents associated with the injury; if it requires ongoing treatment, keep all of those documents as well.
2. Alert someone. If you find a foreign object in your food while you are eating in a restaurant, immediately alert a manager or server and then ask to file an accident report. If the object was in a product that you bought from a grocery store, you should call the company that manufactured and packaged it. If your foreign object injury happens in a restaurant, don’t allow them to take the object, and don’t sign any statements or accept any offers made by the restaurant.
3. Gather evidence. Do whatever you can to retain possession of the object and keep in the state that it was in when you found it in your food. If you spit it out, keep it and take photos of it. If your foreign object injury happened due to a food that you bought at the grocery store, keep the receipt of the purchase, if you have it. If your injury happened in a restaurant, record the names of your server and the people that you were dining with. Also, make sure to get a copy of the restaurant’s accident report.
4. Get in touch with a personal injury attorney. If you are able to file a lawsuit against the restaurant or food product manufacturer that was responsible for your injury, you will need to prove that the restaurant or food manufacturer’s negligence is what caused your injury. A skilled lawyer can explain further.

Rely on an Experienced NYC Personal Injury Lawyer

Know that you can rely on the New York City personal injury attorneys at Sullivan & Galleshaw, LLP, to help you negotiate a settlement for the damages that you deserve. We have a knowledgeable and experienced legal team that is ready to assist you with filing a lawsuit for your injury. Call us soon at (718) 843-0300.