Compensation Claims For A Greek Restaurant Allergic Reaction

When you go out to eat at a restaurant with food allergies, you might have to take care when ordering your food to avoid having the likes of a Greek restaurant allergic reaction. There are various things you could do to protect yourself when eating in a restaurant with food allergies, from asking servers to leave foods out of your dish or checking the menu so that you could avoid dishes with allergens in them.

However, you would be relying on the restaurant to give you accurate information or to comply with your request to leave an allergen out of your meal. If they do not comply with your request, or they give you inaccurate allergen information, you may be considering where you could go about suing a restaurant for a food allergy that could have been avoided.

This guide has been created to answer common questions relating to Greek restaurant allergic reaction claims. Whether you’ve had an allergic reaction to takeaway food from a Greek restaurant, or you’ve suffered a reaction while eating in a Greek restaurant, you may find the information below useful. 

We have included details of the types of allergic reactions you might suffer from Greek food, as well as the food allergy training that staff should be given. You can also find information about compensation payouts and how they could be calculated, and insight into how a solicitor could help you make a claim. 

Whether you have an allergy to lupin, a fish allergy, a dairy allergy or are allergic to any other type of food, we could help assess your case for free to see if you could claim. We could also help by connecting you with a solicitor from our panel should you wish to go ahead with a claim. Want to know more? Why not call our team on 0333 000 0729.

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A Guide To Claiming For A Greek Restaurant Allergic Reaction

If you have a food allergy, this could mean you have to take care when eating in a restaurant in order to avoid triggering an allergic reaction. For example, you might, if you have a shellfish allergy, check which dishes contain shellfish so you could avoid ordering them. Or, if you have a Greek food nut allergy, you might ask for a dish to be prepared without nuts. 

Whatever action you take to protect yourself may not be enough, however. If the Greek restaurant you’re eating at does not offer you accurate information on allergens contained within dishes or neglect to leave ingredients you’ve requested to be left out of your meal, you may still suffer a reaction.

Allergic reaction after eating in Greek restaurant compensation claims guide

Allergic reaction after eating in Greek restaurant compensation claims guide

This guide could be very useful to you if you are considering making a claim for a Greek restaurant allergic reaction. In it, we answer a variety of questions relating to Greek food and allergies and provide insight into making a claim for compensation if a restaurant has breached their duty of care towards you, and you have suffered harm as a result. We also provide details of what laws are in place to protect consumers, and how much compensation your food allergy claim could bring you.

What Is A Greek Food Allergic Reaction?

You may not be aware of this, but the symptoms of an allergic reaction are actually caused by your immune system, which produces proteins if it thinks your body is under attack from something. Allergens that could trigger an immune system response could include tree or grass pollen, animal hair, dust and, as we discuss here, food.

The symptoms of an allergic reaction could include the following:

Symptoms of a non-IgE-mediated food allergy

These could include:

  • Constipation
  • Vomiting (not with diarrhoea)
  • Cramps
  • Red, dry, itchy or cracked skin

Symptoms of an IgE-mediated food allergy

These could include:

  • Trouble with swallowing
  • Wheezing 
  • Throat swelling
  • Nausea
  • Itching or tingling of the mouth
  • Hives
  • Hay-fever symptoms
  • Dizziness
  • Body, mouth or face swelling

You could, however, suffer mixed IgE and non-IgE-mediated food allergies. Treatment of allergic reactions could include antihistamines, steroids and even hospitalisation in some cases, but in other cases, you might just have to wait until symptoms go away on their own.

What Are The Symptoms Of An Anaphylactic Reaction?

In some cases, a Greek restaurant allergic reaction could lead to symptoms of anaphylaxis. This is a severe reaction that could threaten the life of the person affected. Symptoms could include:

  • A fast heartbeat
  • A tight, or constricted throat
  • Collapsing
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Dizziness
  • Fainting
  • Hives
  • Mouth swelling
  • Vomiting

If you suffer an anaphylactic reaction, you would need urgent medical attention. If you are known to have a severe food allergy, you could be given an auto-injector which contains medicine to help you until such time as you could get medical attention.

Consumer Legal Protections

Various laws protect consumers with allergies in different ways. Some of them include:

  • EC Regulation 178/2002 (Article14) – This states that food could be deemed unsafe if it has a negative effect on someone’s health.
  • EC Regulation 178/2002 (Article 28) -This covers traceability of food and the accuracy of the information given to consumers about their foods.
  • The Food Safety Act 1990 (Section 14) – This relates to the selling of food that is not considered to be the nature, quality or substance that the customer should be provided with.
  • The Food Safety Act 1990 (Section 15 ) – This relates to the false description or false presentation of foods.

In addition, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 states that foodservice providers could be held liable for injury, loss or damage caused by foods that are mis-sold, not as described or those that are deemed defective.

What Allergy Information Must Be Provided To Diners?

There are specific allergens that foodservice providers are required to inform customers of by law if they are present in the foods they serve. This is so that consumers could make safe choices about what they consume. Depending on where you purchase foods from, allergens should be communicated to you as follows:

  • Pre-packaged foods – The allergens in pre-packaged foods should be made clear on an ingredients list on the packaging. They are required to be highlighted to make them easier to see.
  • Eating in restaurants or eating food from a takeaway – Allergen information should be communicated in writing. This could be on an allergy menu, on a website, or on a separate list that you should be directed to, depending on the restaurant food allergy policy of the specific place you’re ordering from.

If you suffer a Greek restaurant allergic reaction due to incomplete or inaccurate allergen info provided to you by the restaurant, or by the restaurant’s negligence in providing any allergen information, you may be able to claim compensation.

Top Greek Restaurants And Dishes In The UK

If you’re interested in Greek food, you may wish to take a look at some of the restaurants in the UK that serve such foods. Some of the top Greek restaurants in the UK are said to include:

  • The Real Greek
  • The Athenian

Top 5 Greek Dishes In The UK

Not sure what to order? Why not consider one of what are considered the top 5 Greek dishes in the UK. However, if you have allergies and are ordering Greek food, you would be wise to check the menu and ask servers for the restaurant’s Greek food allergy info before you order to avoid a Greek restaurant allergic reaction.

  1. Moussaka
  2. Souvlaki
  3. Baklava
  4. Tonia’s Filoxenia
  5. Chicken Souvlaki

Should You Tell A Restaurant That You Have An Allergy?

If you have a food allergy to Greek yoghurt, nuts or any other allergen and are eating at a Greek restaurant, you might wish to inform staff of your allergy. This way, they could give you information about what’s contained in the dishes you’re considering ordering, so you can make a safe choice of what to have.

However, if you don’t tell the restaurant you have an allergy, but they have not provided accurate allergen information on their menu, website or other printed material, and this leads to you having a Greek restaurant allergic reaction, you may still be able to make a claim. There are 14 allergens that must be communicated to customers by law, and these are:

  • Crustaceans
  • Molluscs
  • Peanuts
  • Sesame
  • Fish
  • Soybeans
  • Sulphites/Sulphur dioxide
  • Milk
  • Celery
  • Tree nuts
  • Lupin
  • Mustard
  • Eggs
  • Cereals with gluten in

How To Notify A Restaurant Of Your Allergy And Request It Be Left Out

In some cases, if you know you will be eating Greek food and allergy is a concern, you might choose to call the restaurant ahead of time and let them know about your allergy so they could give you information about allergens contained in their foods. However, in other cases, you might wish to wait until you reach the restaurant and look at the menu so that you can choose a dish based on what allergens are contained within it. 

If there is a dish on the menu that you’d like to order but it contains an allergen, you could ask the server if you could have the dish prepared without the allergen to avoid you having a Greek restaurant allergic reaction. If you make such a request, government guidelines suggest that the restaurant should try and honour your request. If they cannot, then they should inform you of this so that you could choose something else to order.

What Effect Could Being Served An Allergen Have?

If you ask for a restaurant to prepare your food without a certain allergen, and they do not comply with your request, you could suffer an allergic reaction. Likewise, if the allergen information on the menu is incorrect, or has changed and not been updated on the menu, or your server gives you inaccurate allergen information, this could also lead to you suffering a reaction.

Whether you suffer minor symptoms that require little treatment or severe symptoms leading to hospitalisation, if the restaurant has breached its duty of care towards you and you have been harmed as a result, we could assess your case for free to see if you could claim compensation. 

While you do not necessarily need a solicitor to help you with a claim, many people prefer to claim with the assistance of a solicitor, who could ensure that all the legal requirements for a claim have been met. They may even be able to negotiate a settlement for you for your Greek restaurant allergic reaction case without you having to go to court. 

Even if the restaurant denies your claim, your solicitor could ensure that legal paperwork is filed before the personal injury claim time limit is up, to ensure that your case is heard in court and you can claim the compensation you deserve. If you would like us to connect you with a solicitor to help you with your claim, all you need to do is call us.

Food Allergy Prevalence In The UK

If you’re wondering how common food allergies are in the UK, you might be interested in the following statistics from Allergy UK:

Estimates have revealed:

  • Between 1 and 10% of children and adults are hypersensitive to some foods.
  • Between 11 and 26 million Europeans have an allergy to some kind of food
  • There is thought to be a higher prevalence of toddlers affected by food allergies (5-8%)
  • Adults are through to be affected less commonly (1-2%)

What Are Common Causes And Triggers Of Allergic Reactions?

A Greek restaurant allergic reaction to food could occur due to a number of causes and triggers. While some people may be allergic to certain vegetables, others may have a food allergy to Greek yoghurt. Some of the main triggers for allergic reactions could include:

  • Cooking oils
  • Vegetables
  • Crustacea
  • Molluscs
  • Peanuts
  • Sesame
  • Gluten
  • Wheat
  • Fruit
  • Sulphites
  • Milk
  • Soya
  • Eggs
  • Fish
  • Soy

If you fear you may have an allergy, you might want to go for allergy testing to make sure you avoid foods that could trigger a reaction. You can find allergy services through the NHS that could offer allergy testing.

Calculating Compensation For An Allergic Reaction After Eating At A Greek Restaurant

If you’re looking to make a claim for compensation, you might be curious as to how much of a payout you’d be likely to get. You may have even used an online tool such as a personal injury claims calculator to provide you with an approximate figure for your Greek restaurant allergic reaction claim. 

However, such tools would only be able to give very rough estimates, as there are certain things that need to be considered when it comes to calculating settlements. An online tool would not be able to assess the specific facts that related to your claim, and they would not be able to review the medical evidence that you would need to submit as part of your claim.

When you make a personal injury claim, one of the things you will be asked to do is attend an appointment with a medical expert. The expert would review your medical notes and examine you. Using this information, they’d compile a report that included details of your prognosis and your condition. This medical evidence could then be used to come to an appropriate value for your claim.

Below, instead of using a claims calculator, we have provided some information on guideline payout amounts taken from the Judicial College Guidelines. This publication, which is updated regularly, offers insight into guideline payout amounts that could be appropriate for specific injuries. If you don’t see the injury you’ve suffered below, please call the team so that we could provide you with further insight.

Illness/injuryCompensation BracketNotes
Severe toxicosis£36,060 to £49,270Leading to a long-term effect on a claimant's ability to enjoy a typical social life, or to work.
Short-lived serious poisoning£8,950 to £18,020Short lived symptoms lasting around 2-4 weeks with some lasting impact on bowel function, discomfort etc over a few years.
Poisoning that causes significant levels of discomfort£3,710 to £8,950Admission to hospital may be needed for a few days, with symptoms dissipating over a few weeks. Complete recovery would be possible between 1-2 years
Pain, diarrhoea, cramps and vomiting£860 to £3,710Lasting for a few days or weeks.

How Special Damages May Compensate You

Your compensation payout for an allergic reaction after eating Greek food could also include special damages, which are designed to compensate you for expenses you’ve incurred as a direct result of your injuries. The type of special damages you could claim could vary from case to case, but could include things like:

  • Care costs
  • Income losses
  • Medical costs
  • Travel expenses

One thing you might want to remember about claiming special damages is that you need to provide evidence of them. Therefore, putting payslips, receipts, bank statements and bills somewhere safe could be a good idea. That way, you could provide them to your personal injury solicitor when you need to.

No Win No Fee Claims For A Greek Restaurant Allergic Reaction

No Win No Fee claims allow claimants in any financial situation to access legal support for personal injury claims, without having to pay legal fees until their claim has resulted in a payout. Such claims, and their terms and conditions, are documented within a Conditional Fee Agreement; a contract you’d be asked to sign before your personal injury solicitor could start work on your case.

Under No Win No Fee terms, you’d only pay a small, legally capped fee, known as a ‘success fee’, if your case ended successfully with a compensation settlement. In cases where your personal injury lawyer was unsuccessful in securing compensation for you, you would not pay the success fee, nor their fees incurred while pursuing your claim.

If you’re looking for a solicitor who could help you with a No Win No Fee Greek restaurant allergic reaction claim, we could connect you with one. To find out more or ask any questions you might have about No Win No Fee claims, please don’t hesitate to call our expert advisors.

Our Team Are There To Help

Whether you’re still considering whether to go ahead with a claim or you’re not sure you’d be eligible for compensation, why not call our team for free, no-obligation guidance and support. We’d be glad to answer your questions and check your eligibility to claim, and we could even connect you with a No Win No Fee lawyer if we feel you could have a valid claim. You can reach us in a number of ways:

Why not get in touch today for guidance and support you can trust?

Guidance And Supporting Resources

Lupin Allergy Anaphylaxis Information – This page looks at lupin allergies in detail and offers useful information on the symptoms you could experience.

Different Types Of Allergy – Here, you can read more about the types of food allergy that you could suffer from.

Nut Allergy Treatment Information – The NHS provides information on treatments for nut allergies on its website.

Seafood Allergic Reactions – Information and advice about making a seafood allergy claim can be found here.

Milk Allergy Claim– Are you considering making a milk allergy claim? If you are, this guide could be useful.

Nut Allergy Claimants–  Information for nut allergy claimants can be found in this detailed guide.

Lactose Intolerance Compensation – If you’re hoping to make a claim based around someone serving you food which contained lactose after requesting them not to this guide can help.

Find out how to make a claim for an allergic reaction at a kebab restaurant with our guide.

Thank you for reading our guide to Greek restaurant allergic reaction claims. If you need anything further, please get in touch.

 

Guide by JS

Edited by REG