Following last weekend’s Wimbledon win by Andy Murray in blazing temperatures, I’ve just reached the point where I am beginning to take each sunny morning at face value, rather than peer at it suspiciously through the blinds whilst packing an extra jumper. After a five-year wait, could it be, summer has finally arrived?
So, what do I have planned each and every weekend for the next two months?
Barbeques?
No.
Pool-Parties?
No.
Weddings.
Yes.
Weddings.
Every weekend for two months, (bar one in the middle, where I shall be forced to hack my lawn down to size after weeks of neglect), I shall give up my valuable weekends to go to weddings. I shall give up my weekends to pick my way through sit down meals and buffets trying to avoid the savoury-cheese puff masquerading as a sausage roll, (I get caught out every time!), whilst enduring the cheesy-pop-laden discos.
I know what you’re thinking - I need a better quality of friend. Oh, that’s not what you were thinking?
I’m sorry, but I always come away from weddings with a horror story – a flat tyre in the rain causing me to miss all the food, a huge bar tab from when I 'somehow' lost track of what I had been ordering, a huge bowl of ‘Summer Berry Compote’ poured down the front of a brand new light-coloured suit...
Now that I think about it, that flat tyre in the rain actually saved me from a far worse fate – if I had actually gotten to eat any of the food at that particular wedding I’d have had an even worse time than I remember! Around 25 people ended the evening with some form of food poisoning on that occasion.
Food Poisoning at Weddings
Considering how much people are willing to spend in order to make their special day “perfect” – or should that be – how much venues are prepared to charge - you’d think the least a venue could do was make sure they provided food that was safe to eat.
Recently, a hotel in Camberley was found to be responsible for poisoning almost 50 wedding guests (just over half of those who attended) after serving “gourmet chicken liver parfait”. Health inspectors later found the chicken had been contaminated with campylobacter having not been cooked at a high enough temperature. The hotel, which was part of a group which runs 45 hotels across the UK, pleaded guilty to two counts of contravening food hygiene regulations and were fined £17,000 and ordered to pay £55,000 in costs.
In another incident, this time in Hertfordshire, undercooked chicken liver pâté was the cause for 51 people (including the bride & groom, not a good honeymoon!) to suffer from food poisoning. The four-star hotel where the couple held their wedding has now been fined £8,300 after health and safety officers took it to court.
And finally (although there are many other examples out there ) a venue in Somerset was fined £25,000 after 46 people out of 86 at a wedding reception fell ill with food poisoning, this time the duck liver pâté was to blame.
So, this year, along with the savoury-cheese puff, I shall also be avoiding the pâté!
There are of course degrees in the effect which food poisoning might have on your big day; an upset tummy during the night and a day of eating dry toast is one thing, but it can sometimes be far more serious than that, requiring an extended period of time off work and even hospitalisation.
How to Claim for Food Poisoning at a Wedding
If you’ve suffered from serious food poisoning as a result of food consumed at a wedding, or in a restaurant or other commercial venue, then you may be entitled to make a personal injury claim. Food poisoning is classed as a type of personal injury as it is often a result of someone else’s negligence, and you are legally entitled to claim.
As many people eat the same dish at weddings it’s likely that other guests may have suffered and may, therefore, also have a claim. The more people involved in a group claim for food poisoning, with supporting medical evidence, the stronger the case so it’s worth checking with other guests (even though this can sometimes be a delicate subject to bring up).
In order to proceed with a food poisoning claim we need to know:
- The time and date the food was purchased.
- Method and evidence of payment.
- Confirmation of food purchased.
- If the food was consumed within 24 hours prior to the poisoning
- That medical advice was sort
The first three points can all be confirmed by the booking confirmation and receipt, which the bride, groom or member of their family should have. As with all personal injury claims it is important to seek medical advice, your doctor can confirm if what you are suffering from is food poisoning and note this on your medical records, with the date. Also remember to keep evidence of any related expenses such as receipts for medication, additional accommodation costs and / or travel expenses.
What happens next?
If you have suffered from food poisoning at a wedding (or indeed any restaurant, bar or other commercial venue) then you may be entitled to make a claim for personal injury compensation. Our friendly specialist advisors can talk to you about your situation and see if you have a valid compensation claim. There is no charge for this service and you are under no obligation to claim with us.
If you have a genuine claim, contact a genuine company.
May I Claim, is a trading name of R Costings Limited and our CRM number is 25770
If you’ve had an accident that wasn’t your fault and suffered an injury - you can trust us to handle your claim professionally.
Call us now on 0800 756 7774 and talk to us to find out if you have a claim - or fill in our Quick Claim form (on the right of this page).
http://info.mayiclaim.co.uk/personal_injury_compensation_claim_news/bid/303658/Heartbreaks-Tummy-Aches-Wedding-Food-Poisoning-Claims
 delicious 