Allergic Reaction After Eating At A Mediterranean Restaurant – Can I Claim Compensation?
I Had An Allergic Reaction After Eating Mediterranean Food, Could I Claim Compensation?
On this page, you will read a detailed guide to the legal process of making a compensation claim for an allergic reaction after eating at a Mediterranean restaurant. We aim to show you just why you could be in a position to pursue a claim, and how an expert personal injury solicitor from our team can assist you in making a personal injury claim. If your food allergy was triggered by negligence at a Mediterranean restaurant, this guide is for you.
Allergic reaction after eating in Mediterranean restaurant claims guide
If you have additional questions while reading this guide, or just want some free legal advice before making a claim, our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week to help you. You can contact them on 0800 073 8804.
Jump To:
- A Free Online Guide To Making A Claim After An Allergic Reaction After Eating At A Mediterranean Restaurant
- What Is A Food Allergy In A Mediterranean Restaurant?
- What Are Examples Of Common Food Allergy Triggers?
- Popular Mediterranean Restaurants And Foods
- Food Allergy Prevalence In The UK
- Requesting Allergy Free Menus
- Allergy Warning And Food Safety Information Laws
- How To Request Food From The Allergy Free Menu
- Mediterranean Restaurant Allergy Damages Calculator
- Using A No Win No Fee Lawyer After An Allergic Reaction After Eating At A Mediterranean Restaurant
- Talk To Us About An Allergy Claim
- Guides And Further Useful Information
A Free Online Guide To Making A Claim After An Allergic Reaction After Eating At A Mediterranean Restaurant
If you suffer an allergic reaction after eating Mediterranean food, and you can prove that this occurred due to negligence on the part of a restaurant, you may be able to make a compensation claim for the harm suffered. In this guide, we will provide plenty of Mediterranean food allergy info related to the why and how of making such a claim.
The guide begins with a general introduction to the topic of food allergies. This includes what they are, how they affect you, and what a triggered food allergy is. We cover causes and symptoms as well. We also explain what negligence is, and why a restaurant might be liable to pay you damages if you suffer an unnecessary allergic reaction.
The middle part of this guide has information about food allergies and also the ways that a restaurant might trigger an allergic reaction through negligence. We look at some of the most common allergens, and also some of the most popular Mediterranean restaurants and the dishes they serve.
We have provided some statistics pertaining to food allergies in the UK as well. You will also find information that explains your rights and the responsibilities of a restaurant to keep you safe. In addition, we’ll cover what happens if you do your best to avoid an allergic reaction, but the restaurant makes a mistake, leading to you suffering one.
The last handful of sections in this guide focus more on the claim itself. We provide crucial data to assist you in working out how much compensation you may be able to claim for. There is a list of some of the types of damages you might be able to claim as well. The final section deals with our core service offering, No Win No Fee claims. We show what the main advantages are of engaging a solicitor under a No Win No Fee agreement, and why this could be a good alternative to traditional legal representation in your own case.
If you need clarification about any of the information in this guide, or just want some free legal advice, you can contact our personal injury claims team any time of the night or day, 7 days a week.
They can provide you with needed information about personal injury claims, such as which personal injury claims time limit is going to apply to you, as well as explaining how we can assist you in moving your claim forward.
What Is A Food Allergy In A Mediterranean Restaurant?
A food allergy is a diagnosed medical condition that affects how your body responds to a specific substance or group of substances.
A substance such as milk, if you have a dairy allergy, is wrongly seen by your body as a serious toxin. So, if you were to eat something containing milk, this could trigger your food allergy in a Mediterranean restaurant.
The triggered food allergy causes your body to respond. It misinterprets the allergen as toxic so releases the likes of histamine to counter it. This, in turn, leads to a reaction. Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction can include:
- An itchy and red skin rash.
- Itchy or watering eyes.
- A blocked nose.
- A swollen throat or tongue.
- Confused thoughts and dizziness.
- Pain in the stomach.
- Sickness and vomiting.
- Anaphylactic shock.
Some of these symptoms, if they are only minor, can be treated with over-the-counter antihistamines. Others are more serious and would require professional medical care.
Anaphylactic Allergic Reactions
Anaphylaxis is the most severe of all the symptoms of a triggered food allergy. In extreme cases, this can result in death. As the victim of anaphylactic shock, you would need emergency medical treatment as quickly as possible.
Anaphylaxis shares all of the same symptoms as an allergic reaction, with several others as well, such as:
- Loss of consciousness.
- Sweaty, clammy skin.
- Problems breathing.
- Raised pulse.
What Are Examples Of Common Food Allergy Triggers?
There are 14 main allergens that rules and regulations related to food safety in the UK cover. These allergens are found in many common foods, such as:
- Cheese on toast has multiple allergens, and could trigger a dairy, wheat or gluten allergy depending on the type of bread used.
- Simple desserts like custard could trigger a milk allergy or an allergy to eggs.
- Packaged snack bars could trigger a cereal allergy or an allergy to peanuts.
- Mediterranean salads heavy on beans could trigger a lupin or celery allergy
- Even raw fruit and vegetables could be a problem for some people, triggering their food allergy.
- Mediterranean dishes that are based on shellfish or other kinds of fish and seafood could trigger a food allergy.
So, we can see that for people with a food allergy, making the right food choices is vital, as allergens lurk everywhere, and often in many common dishes.
Popular Mediterranean Restaurants And Foods
Mediterranean food encompasses a great many styles of cuisines, from French classics to Israeli street food in Tel Aviv. In the UK, we have the full selection of Mediterranean foods on offer, with some of the better restaurants being:
- Paysanne, Deganwy, Wales
- 40 23 Mediterranean Food, Birmingham
- Stuzzi, Harrogate
- Lunya, Liverpool
- Edna’s Kitchen, Bristol
Top Mediterranean Foods
With such a broad range of regional cuisine encompassed within the overall category of Mediterranean food, it is hard to choose those which stand out. However, some of the most popular dishes are:
- Greek-Style Baked Cod with Lemon and Garlic
- Chicken Shawarma
- Moroccan Vegetable Tagine
- Seafood Paella
- Spanakopita
- Chicken Souvlaki
- Briam
- Grilled Kofta Kebabs
- Avgolemono Soup
- Italian Baked Chicken
Please remember, that many Mediterranean dishes lean heavily towards beans as an ingredient. If you suffer from a lupin allergy, you need to be careful to avoid an allergic reaction to Mediterranean food.
Food Allergy Prevalence In The UK
Allergies, including food allergies, are a major issue for the health system in the UK. When we look at allergy statistics for the country, we find that:
- The UK has a high number of allergy sufferers (including food allergies), with an estimated 1 in 5 people in the UK suffering from one allergy or another.
- Some 44% of adults in the UK have some form of allergy.
- Between 2002 and 2012, there was an increase of 615% in the number of admissions to hospital with anaphylaxis being the cause.
So, we can see that allergies are a problem that is getting worse in the UK.
Requesting Allergy Free Menus
If you have decided to eat Mediterranean food and allergy problems are a concern, you can ask for a menu from the dish to be prepared without using a specific ingredient that you know could be a problem.
The restaurant staff don’t have to agree to do this; they can simply turn you down. The restaurant might be too busy to make special meals, or the chef/cook might be incapable of preparing the dish in a special way.
What Happens If I Am Not Served From The Allergy Free Menu?
If you do request a dish changed in a Mediterranean restaurant due to an allergy, if the staff agree to do so, this must be done. If mistakes are made, such as the serving staff forgetting to tell the kitchen about your special requirements, or the chef forgetting to leave the ingredient out, then you could still go through an allergic reaction.
In such cases, this mistake could be deemed negligence. This is the kind of situation in which we could help you to make a claim. Speak to our team for more information about this.
Allergy Warning And Food Safety Information Laws
If you are worried about a Mediterranean food allergy, there are multiple laws and regulations that protect you. Firstly, there is the Food Safety Act 1990. This is a comprehensive set of food safety laws that covers everything from food hygiene to storage.
Part of these laws covers food allergies and the 14 main allergens. Secondly, all of the health and safety rules that apply to the hospitality sector need to be adhered to as well.
A failure to conform with all of these rules and regulations could be seen as negligence. And if this negligence resulted in you suffering an allergic reaction while eating Mediterranean food, then we may be able to help you.
Allergy Warning Information Which Should Be Provided To Diners
In order for you to be able to choose allergy friendly Mediterranean food that will be safe for you to eat, the restaurant has to, by law, provide you with all of the information you need to choose safely from the menu.
Depending on how you are ordering, these requirements can change:
- If you are sitting down to dine, there needs to be allergen information readily available and easy to find. For example, as part of the description of dishes on the menu, or as an appendix of the menu, or perhaps a sign indicating where it can be found, such as through serving staff.
- If you are using an app or a website to order food, then the same information that is provided inside the restaurant must be available online.
- If you are phoning in an order, staff ought to provide accurate allergy info when asked.
If the information provided is wrong, or it is not sufficient to help you choose safe food, then this could cause you to go through an allergic reaction. In this case, we could be able to process a claim for you.
How To Request Food From The Allergy Free Menu
You don’t have to inform the restaurant about your Mediterranean food allergy. As the previous section has shown, you are supposed to be provided with all of the information that you need to choose safely from the food on offer.
If you do tell the staff about your allergy, they may feel that they have to help you choose food safely. The information they give you must be correct. If it is not, then you might end up eating something you are allergic to and suffer a reaction. This could be seen as negligence, and a claim may be possible.
Mediterranean Restaurant Allergy Damages Calculator
It might be possible to find some type of personal injury claims calculator that would enable you to work out roughly how much compensation you might receive if you make a successful claim. However, such tools can provide misleading results. So instead, we’ve put together the table below. It’s based on information found in the guidelines of the Judicial College, a body that reviews compensation awards made by the courts.
| Problem with Health | Possible Damages | Severity | More Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anaphylaxis | £36,060 to £49,270 | Severe | An allergic reaction due to a food allergy, that has manifested the most severe of symptoms, anaphylactic shock. A potentially deadly medical condition that requires emergency medical treatment. The victim will likely take up to four weeks to heal, but there could be symptoms that last for up to two years, affecting the quality of life of the victim. |
| Illness | £860 to £3,710 | Minor | An allergic reaction due to a food allergy, that has manifested only minor symptoms, that may be only uncomfortable instead of painful. The victim would recover fully, with no ongoing health issues, within a few days to a few weeks. |
| Illness | £8,950 to £18,020 | Serious | An allergic reaction caused by a food allergy, that has manifested serious symptoms, but fallen short of developing- into full-blown anaphylactic shock. Symptoms would be painful, and a visit to the hospital may be needed. Within four weeks the main symptoms will have cleared up, but there could be some minor symptoms that linger for up to two years. |
| Illness | £3,710 to £8,950 | Moderate | An allergic reaction caused by a food allergy, that has manifested moderate symptoms that would be painful and uncomfortable. Medical treatment may be required initially, and then the symptoms would clear up within four weeks. There may be ongoing but trivial symptoms for up to two years. |
The best way to get an accurate estimate of how much compensation you might receive if you win your claim is to have a solicitor value it for you. Talk to our personal injury claims team today if you would like us to arrange this for you.
Calculating Special Damages Compensation
If and when your personal injury lawyer successfully concludes your claim, you will be paid a settlement that is made up of a number of different kinds of damages.
The table above considered one aspect of compensation called general damages, which relates to the pain and suffering inflicted by the reaction. How severely you were harmed, how long and why types of treatment you went through, as well as any ongoing disablement all contribute here. For example:
- Disabilities or long-term impairment.
- Invasive or traumatic therapy and treatment.
- Psychological damage such as new phobias, anxiety, or depression.
- The hardship caused by your symptoms.
- The shock of suffering an allergic reaction in a restaurant.
Another aspect of compensation that can be claimed is special damages. These relate to financial losses. If you want to claim back money that’s already bee spent, you have to submit proof of this spending. Special damages might include:
- Lowered potential earnings in your lifetime.
- Lost income (missed work).
- The cost of private healthcare and treatment.
- The cost of hiring a professional nurse to care for you at home.
- For out-of-pocket expenses like travel to appointments and over the counter medication.
One of our expert lawyers could value your claim for you and tell you exactly what kinds of damages you can claim for. Talk to one of our advisors to get this organised.
Using A No Win No Fee Lawyer After An Allergic Reaction After Eating At A Mediterranean Restaurant
Have you heard the term No Win No Fee before? You probably have. But unless you have previously made a compensation claim, you likely don’t understand exactly what a No Win No Fee agreement is, also known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
In short, we can provide you with a lawyer who won’t charge to take your claim on, or while they are processing it for you. If they don’t secure you any compensation, they won’t ask you to pay their fee.
If the solicitor does reach a successful resolution to your claim, you may then be asked to pay a modest success fee, the upper limit of which is set by law. This payment can be taken directly out of the compensation payment that the solicitor has received for you, and then they will give you what is left over.
This reduces any financial anxiety and ensures you get the representation you deserve.
Talk To Us About An Allergy Claim
Have you suffered an allergic reaction after eating at a Mediterranean restaurant? If so, this is something that we can help you with.
Our personal injury claims team is on hand to help. You can get in touch with them in a number of ways:
- By calling 0800 073 8804
- Sending us a message via our live chat, bottom right.
- Writing to us by clicking here
An expert advisor will talk you through the process of starting a claim, and also provide you with some free legal information and advice about what your next move could be.
Guides And Further Useful Information
We have published these other guides, that you might like to read and could find useful:
How To Sue A Restaurant For An Allergic Reaction
A Guide To Claiming For An Allergic Reaction At A Café
Also, you might want to take a look at these other websites:
Additional Allergy Information
Other Guides You Can Read
- £4,500 Compensation For A Broken Little Toe Claim
- Doncaster Sheffield Airport Accident Claims Guide
- Allergic Reaction In A Pret A Manger – Can I Claim?
- Allergic Reaction At Planet Hollywood – Can I Claim?
Thank you for reading our guide on what to do if you suffer an allergic reaction after eating at a Mediterranean restaurant.
Guide by Wheeler
Edited by Billing
