What to Do After Food Poisoning
A few steps during and after a serious foodborne illness protect your health and the proof of the source. Here is a simple checklist.
Get medical care and ask for testing
See a doctor for a serious illness, and ask for a stool test to confirm the pathogen. A lab-confirmed diagnosis is powerful evidence of the source, and it also guides your care.
Save the food, packaging, and receipts
If you can, keep any leftover food, the packaging (for the product and lot), and receipts showing where you ate or bought it. Refrigerate or freeze any food. These help, but are not required.
Report it to the health department
Report the illness to your local health department. This creates an official record and can trigger or add to an investigation that helps establish the source.
Write down what and where you ate
Note what you ate and when, and where, in the days before you got sick. The timing of symptoms is central to identifying the source.
Get advice while the evidence is fresh
Because the strongest proof is available early, a free, confidential conversation soon can help preserve it and explain your options.
The deadlines and rules depend on your state
The steps above apply wherever you were hurt. Filing deadlines, fault rules, and limits on damages differ by state — pick yours for what applies to food poisoning.
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This is general information, not legal advice. Every situation is different, and the law differs by state.