Allergic Reaction After Eating KFC – Can I Claim Compensation?

By Cat Soong. Last Updated 8th June 2022. If you suffer from a food allergy, you are responsible for managing your condition. However, food providers such as fast-food restaurants and takeaways have a legal responsibility to supply you accurate information to help you make an informed decision about what food you choose to eat. Therefore, if you have suffered an allergic reaction after eating Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) food because the business acted negligently, you may be eligible to make a personal injury claim for compensation if it can be shown that the restaurant had breached its duty of care.

If you wish to claim compensation for an allergic reaction to KFC which was not your fault, trust Legal Expert to help you. How can we help?

• We can offer you a free case assessment, with no obligation to proceed.
• Our personal injury solicitors have decades of experience handling personal injury claims, so you will be in safe hands.
• Your solicitor will push to win you the maximum amount of compensation that you could be owed.
• You will have the option to have your compensation claim handled on a No Win No Fee basis.

To begin your compensation claim for an allergic reaction after eating KFC, call Legal Expert today on 0800 073 8804 for your free consultation. If we can see that you are owed compensation for your injuries, we will link you to one of our No Win No Fee solicitors to handle your case. Alternatively, use our online claims form to reach us.

Select A Section

• A Guide To Claims For An Allergic Reaction After Eating KFC Food
• What Is An Allergic Reaction To Food From KFC?
• Examples Of Which Foods Cause Allergic Reactions
• Statistics And Key Facts On Allergic Reactions To Food
• I Requested That An Allergen Be Left Out
• My Request For An Ingredient To Be Left Out Was Ignored
• Your Rights Under The Consumer Protection Act 1987
• I Didn’t Inform KFC Of My Food Allergy? Could I Still Claim Compensation
• KFC Allergy Advice And Information
• Compensation Calculator For Allergic Reactions After Eating KFC
• Could Allergy Sufferers Also Claim Special Damages?
• How A Solicitor Could Help If You Had An Allergic Reaction To Food
• No Win No Fee Claims If You Had An Allergic Reaction After Eating KFC
• Talk To Our Team
• Resources

A Guide To Claims For An Allergic Reaction After Eating KFC Food

Kentucky Fried Chicken, often abbreviated to KFC is an American fast-food chain. The business was founded in 1930 and has 22,621 branches around the world. In the UK, there are over 900 branches of KFC and the organisation employs around 24,000 people. KFC restaurants offer eat-in, takeaway and drive-through options. Their food is also available for delivery via apps like Deliveroo and Just Eat.

In this guide to making a personal injury claim for an allergic reaction at KFC, UK we will explain how food allergies can affect people who suffer from them. We will look in-depth at what duty of care restaurants like KFC owe their customers and what steps they can take to protect those who suffer from food allergies. We will provide examples of how errors on the part of KFC could cause a customer to suffer an allergic reaction and will explain how to make a compensation claim against KFC if you are injured or made ill due to negligence on their part.

If you have been injured due to an allergic reaction which you believe was caused by KFC acting negligently, we are here to help you. Call Legal Expert today and if you have legitimate grounds to claim compensation, we will connect you with a No Win No Fee lawyer to handle your allergic reaction compensation claim.

What Is An Allergic Reaction To Food From KFC?

Kentucky Fried Chicken provides its customers with KFC allergy information to help them make informed decisions about what menu items are suitable for them. If a customer suffers an allergic reaction to food from KFC due to negligence on the part of the business—for example, if the information on the KFC food allergy menu was incorrect they may be able to claim compensation for their injuries.

Whether you ate in, had takeaway food, had food from a drive-through, or ordered your food for delivery through an app, this will not affect your eligibility to claim compensation.

What Causes Allergic Reactions To Foods?

What is a food allergy? A food allergy is when a person’s immune system mistakes proteins found in certain foods as a threat. To counteract the perceived threat, the immune system pumps antibodies into the person’s body, causing an unwanted reaction.

What are the symptoms of a mild to moderate allergic reaction to food? 

The allergy sufferer can experience angioedema which is when parts of the face swell up including the tongue, roof of the mouth, around the eyes and the lips. 

Other symptoms can include feelings of faintness, vomiting and diarrhoea, a red rash or the ears, throat and/or roof of the mouth becoming itchy. 

Unfortunately, some people (about 1 in 1000 of the general population of the UK) suffer from a severe form of food allergy and experience a serious reaction when they consume a substance that they are allergic to. This is called anaphylaxis, or an anaphylactic shock. A person experiencing anaphylaxis may suffer from the same symptoms that most food allergies will induce. In addition, they may also experience: 

• Clammy skin
• Dizziness or feeling faint, 
• Their heart rate may become increased
• Feelings of disorientation, anxiety and/or confusion
• Shallow breathing or wheezing in the chest
• Collapsing or losing consciousness.

Unfortunately, an anaphylactic shock is a life-threatening condition. The patient may die or fall into a coma. 

If you believe you are suffering from an anaphylactic shock, or someone else is, call an ambulance immediately by dialling 999. This NHS guide has further instructions about how to help someone who is suffering from an anaphylactic shock, whilst waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

Examples Of Which Foods Cause Allergic Reactions

Here are some foods which are known to cause allergic reactions:

• Nut allergy (peanut allergies, are one of the most common nut allergies)
• Egg allergy
• Milk allergy
• Dairy allergy
• Wheat allergy
• Soy allergy
• Fruit allergy
• Cereal allergy
• Gluten allergy
• Celery allergy
• Seafood allergy
• Fish allergy
• Lupin allergy
• Mustard allergy
• Shellfish allergy
• Sulphur dioxide allergy

This NHS guide to food allergies has more information on the symptoms of food allergies, how they are diagnosed and the best way to manage them.

Statistics And Key Facts On Allergic Reactions To Food

The UK has one of the highest rates of allergy sufferers in the world, with 20% of the population suffering from at least one form of allergy.

As we have already mentioned, 1 in 1000 members of the UK population suffers from severe forms of allergies, which can result in anaphylaxis.

Suffering from an allergic disorder can have a significant effect on a person’s physical health, not just their mental health. On the continent of Europe, 20% of people who suffer from an allergy said that they struggle on a daily basis with anxiety and fear of suffering an anaphylactic shock, an asthma attack, or dying due to a severe allergic reaction.

The charity Allergy UK, which supports people who suffer from allergies, has more statistics about how prolific allergies are in the UK and abroad.

I Requested That An Allergen Be Left Out

If you suffer from a food allergy, how are fast-food restaurants such as KFC supposed to help you manage your allergy? You may ask that an ingredient be removed from a meal on the menu, however, the restaurant is not obligated to do this and can refuse.

Here are some items you may request to be left out of your food, due to food allergies:

• No Cheese
• No Eggs
• No Wheat
• No Oats
• No Fish
• No Tomatoes
• No Milk
• No Nuts

Of course, much of the food that is served in chain restaurants is pre-prepared or prepackaged. Therefore it may not be possible to remove an ingredient from a menu item. 

When you inform your server of your food allergy, you may enquire about the allergenic content of a menu item. You may ask your server questions such as: “Does KFC chicken contain gluten?”, “Does KFC chicken contain egg?” and “Is Kentucky Fried Chicken peanut-free?” Therefore, your server should warn you if the items you wish to order are not suitable for someone who suffers from your allergies. 

My Request For An Ingredient To Be Left Out Was Ignored

If the menu item is prepacked or pre-prepared and cannot be left out, your server should warn you that the menu item could contain one of the 14 main allergens if you notified them of the allergy. 

Allergic Reactions Caused By Negligence Of A Restaurant

What are your rights if you are injured due to negligence on the part of a restaurant? The Occupier’s Liability Act 1957 states that customers are owed a duty of care by restaurants and other businesses. This means that if a customer is injured because the business acted negligently, they may well be held accountable for any resulting injuries or illness. This means the customer could have the right to pursue a personal injury claim. This could include a claim for an allergic reaction after eating Kentucky Fried Chicken food if you can prove the outlet breached its duty of care.

Your Rights Under The Consumer Protection Act 1987

If you suffer from a food allergy, are you protected by the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and civil law? Yes. 

Sometimes allergy sufferers consume foods that they are allergic to because the ingredients have an unintended presence in their food. For example, a dessert that should not contain nuts contains nuts due to a fault in the manufacturing process. Under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and civil law, manufacturers can be held liable for injuries caused by faulty goods. 

Legal Expert can connect you to a personal injury lawyer to handle your claim for an allergic reaction after eating KFC food which had unintended ingredients present. Call us now to learn more.

I Didn’t Inform KFC Of My Food Allergy? Could I Still Claim Compensation

Even if you did not inform your server of your allergies, you can still be eligible to claim compensation for an allergic reaction to KFC food in certain circumstances. This is because food providers such as shops, cafes, restaurants, takeaways, and cafeterias are supposed to provide information to consumers about allergenic ingredients contained in food. This is to help the customer make informed decisions. Warnings that foods contain the following allergenic ingredients are supposed to be included on food packaging and menus.

Is It Safe To Eat KFC If I Have A Peanut Allergy?

If you have allergies to certain ingredients, you may be wondering “what allergens are in KFC food?” or “I have an allergy, is KFC safe for me to eat?”. Food vendors such as KFC should always make information on the allergens included in their foods available to customers. For instance, they must provide allergen information in writing if they sell or provide food directly to customers. This could be in the form of allergen information on the menu or information about where allergen information could be obtained.

If this information was not made accessible to you, and you suffered an allergic reaction as a result, you may be able to make a claim.

 These are the allergenic ingredients that food providers are supposed to warn consumers about:

• Cereals containing gluten such as wheat
• Fish
• Peanuts
• Soybeans
• Milk (including lactose)
• Crustaceans
• Eggs
• Nuts; especially peanuts almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecan nuts, Brazil nuts, pistachio nuts, macadamia nuts
• Celery (including celeriac)
• Sulphur dioxide/sulphites, where added at a level above 10mg/kg or 10mg/L in the finished product.
• Lupin
• Molluscs
• Mustard
• Sesame

If you suffered an allergy to Kentucky Fried Chicken UK, you may be eligible to claim compensation if you were not informed of the allergenic contents of the food and can clearly prove that this was what happened. Call Legal Expert today for free advice about your claim.

KFC Allergy Advice And Information

KFC provides a KFC allergy menu and KFC food allergy info. Visit their website to find KFC allergy information online.

Here is an example of KFC’s online menu. However, please take note that at the time of writing, some stores may be operating a reduced menu due to the Covid-19 crisis.

For Sharing

• 12 Piece Dipping Boneless Feast
• 8 Piece Dipping Boneless Feast
• 10 Piece Family Feast
• 6 Piece Family Feast
• 14 Piece Party Bucket
• 10 Piece Wicked Variety Bucket
• 6 Piece Wicked Variety Bucket
• 14 Piece Bargain Bucket
• 10 Piece Bargain Bucket
• 6 Piece Bargain Bucket

Meals For One

• 4 Piece Colonel’s Meal
• Fillet Tower Burger Meal
• Trilogy Box Meal
• Mighty Bucket For One Meal
• Fillet Burger / Box Meal
• Boneless Dips / Banquet Meal
• Zinger Tower / Burger / Stacker / Box Meal
• Original Recipe Chicken
• Popcorn Chicken
• Kids Popcorn Chicken Meal
• Kids Mini Fillet Meal
• Kids Mini Burger Meal

Snacks & Extras

• Fries
• KFC Gravy
• Beans
• Corn Cob
• Hot Wings

How Much Compensation For An Allergic Reaction After Eating KFC?

In this section, we’ve included an alternative to a personal injury claims calculator. You can use our alternative tool to gain an idea of how much you could be awarded if your claim for a food allergy in KFC is successful.

The amounts of compensation quoted here are based on guidelines set out by the 2022 edition of the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). However, every claim is different in outcome, so for a personalised estimate of how much you could claim, call Legal Expert to speak to an advisor today.

The table estimates how much you could claim in general damages, but excludes special damages.

Could Allergy Sufferers Also Claim Special Damages?

Should your claim against KFC be successful, you will be awarded general damages, which are normally the primary part of a compensation claim, and special damages. Special damages are intended to reimburse the injured person for financial expenses incurred because of the accident. You could recover compensation for any care expenses, medical treatment expenses, loss of income or travelling costs you have incurred because of the accident.

How A Solicitor Could Help If You Had An Allergic Reaction To Food

If you have legitimate grounds to make a personal injury claim for an accident at KFC that was not your fault, Legal Expert can help. We can provide you with a knowledgeable solicitor with years of experience to handle your claim. Your solicitor can negotiate with KFC to win you the maximum amount of compensation you could be eligible to claim. You will be kept fully informed of all progress throughout the claim too, and should you ever have a query, your solicitor will be on hand to take your call.

No Win No Fee Claims If You Had An Allergic Reaction After Eating KFC

Many of our clients find that making a No Win No Fee claim is the easier way to pursue compensation. This means that you will only have to pay your solicitors fee if you win your claim. It also means that you won’t have to pay any fees upfront or during the case. For many of our clients, this is the more affordable way to claim and is less stressful as the solicitor takes on the financial risk, not the client. Why not check out our guide to No Win No Fee claims to learn more.

Talk To Our Team

For free legal advice and to see if you are eligible for compensation, call Legal Expert today. 

• Call us on 0800 073 8804 
• Or use our online claims form. 

If we believe you are owed compensation, a solicitor will start working on your claim as soon as possible.

Resources

I Slipped In KFC Can I Claim Compensation?

How Much Compensation Can I Claim For A KFC Accident?

I Had An Allergic Reaction In McDonald’s, Can I Claim Compensation?

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Guide by Chelache

Edited by Billing