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Your Salmonella Attorney

In Massachusetts Food Poisoning Cases

If you think you or someone you care about has suffered from a food borne salmonella infection, talk to an experienced salmonella lawyer in MA from the law firm Mazow|McCullough. We know the dramatic impact that food poisoning like salmonella can have on a person's life, and our lawyers have years of experience successfully prosecuting food poisoning cases for our clients.

Call our Essex County, MA office today for a free consultation.

(978) 744-8000

What is Salmonella?

Salmonella is actually the genus name for a group of more than 2,500 different types of bacteria – each of which has a distinct protein coating. All strains of salmonella can infect humans, animals, and birds, and salmonella bacteria are the most frequently reported cause of food poisoning in people. This type of infection is referred to as salmonellosis, and each year there are roughly 40,000 cases of salmonellosis reported in the U.S. alone. Children are more likely to become infected than adults, and individuals with impaired immune function will present with more severe symptoms than otherwise healthy people.

Salmonella bacteria is found in food contaminated during processing or handling, by infected food handlers, in the feces of some pets, and on animals likely to carry the bacteria such as chicks, ducklings, turtles, other small reptiles, and small mammals. The foods most commonly contaminated with salmonella bacteria are beef, poultry, milk, and eggs.

How Do I Get a Salmonella Infection?

Salmonellosis occurs when a person ingests the salmonella bacteria, either by eating contaminated food or by secondary inadvertent ingestion after contact with infected food or animals. Food borne salmonella is the more common transmission vector, and is often unavoidable because foods contaminated with salmonella look, smell, and taste normal.

Recent notable salmonella food poisoning cases have involved:

  • Bagged salads
  • Spinach
  • Ground turkey
  • Papaya
  • Eggs
  • Grape tomatoes

Poor industrial kitchen or processing and packaging plant hygiene is often the cause of larger, centralized outbreaks of salmonella, and these may be significant depending on the size of the establishment or plant.

Symptoms of Salmonella Infection

Salmonella infections can be very dangerous and in some cases prove fatal. People who are diagnosed with salmonellosis often report symptoms such as:

  • diarrhea that may last months
  • severe stomach cramps
  • nausea
  • vomiting

Most individuals diagnosed with salmonellosis food poisoning simply cope with the resultant gastrointestinal difficulties and treatment is limited to fluids, but in severe cases salmonellosis can become typhoid fever. This develops when some of the bacteria are not killed by the immune system and infect the spleen, liver, and other organs. Even after treatment, salmonella bacteria can continue to survive in a patient's gallbladder, from which they are secreted into the feces, for up to a year.

Symptoms of typhoid fever include:

  • high fevers up to 104F
  • sweating
  • inflammation of the stomach and intestines
  • diarrhea

A small minority of individuals who are ill with salmonellosis will go on to develop Reiter's Syndrome. Symptoms include pain in the joints, irritations of the eye, and painful urination, and symptoms can last for months or even years.

If you believe you have been infected by food borne salmonella, visit your doctor and ask him or her to take and test a stool specimen.

How We Handle Salmonella Cases

If you have been infected by salmonella food poisoning and diagnosed with salmonellosis, your health care provider most likely alerted the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. They, in turn, will contact the Center for Disease Control, who will then investigate the claim to determine the source of the outbreak and determine whether any recalls are necessary.

When you hire the salmonella attorneys at Mazow|McCullough, our lawyers contact the appropriate authorities to gather whatever public information is available. On your behalf, we collect all of the medical documentation, interview medical treating providers, retain necessary experts such as endocrinologists, and work with you to ensure that the proper defendants are held accountable.

Contact a Salmonella Lawyer in MA

Contact the Massachusetts salmonella attorneys at Mazow|McCullough, PC today if you think you have been affected by salmonella food poisoning, salmonellosis, or typhoid fever.

Se Habla Espanol

When you or a family member has been affected by a foodborne illness such as E.coli, you want to ensure that you have the proper representation. Do not trust such a case to an attorney that simply dabbles in personal injury. Trust your case to E. coli lawyers who are experienced with this specialized brand of litigation.

Contact us at any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We make every effort to return phone calls and e-mail inquiries promptly.

  • Flexible appointments are available upon request
  • Se Habla Español. Interpreters available if needed.
Call Today: 978-744-8000