£25,000 Payout for Food Poisoning

A man who became seriously ill after contracting food poisoning at a Chinese restaurant has been awarded £25,000 in damages.

The unnamed man contracted salmonella, an infection caused by the presence of the bacteria in food, after eating a meal of chicken curry and egg fried rice at the restaurant. He subsequently developed reactive arthritis and was confined to bed for three months. As a result of his illness he was unable to work for over a year.

Because of the infection, the man has been left physically disabled and has been unable to return to his former job working for Network Rail. Instead, he has had to take an office-based job with the same employer.

He brought a personal injury claim against the restaurant and was awarded £25,000 in compensation although the restaurant did not admit liability.

Salmonella is a very common type of food poisoning. It can usually be prevented by ensuring that high standards of kitchen hygiene are maintained and potentially dangerous foods, such as raw meat and eggs, are well cooked.