E. coli is a bacteria that lives in the intestines of people and animals. Most strains are harmless, but the CDC explains that certain strains — including Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC — can cause serious diarrheal illness, sepsis, and other complications. When an E. coli infection happens because a restaurant, food manufacturer, grocery store, school, daycare, hotel, caterer, or other business failed to take reasonable food-safety precautions, the resulting injuries may support a personal injury claim.

I’m Pulkit Moudgil, a Houston personal injury attorney, and I represent individuals and families affected by serious E. coli infections caused by negligence.

If you or a loved one required hospitalization, IV fluids, dialysis, or other significant medical care after eating contaminated food, I can investigate what happened and help determine whether another party may be responsible.

What Is E. coli Poisoning?

1. coli infection, or colibacillosis, is caused by certain strains of Escherichia coli bacteria. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, symptoms of the most severe strain, enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), usually begin two to five days after eating contaminated food and can last up to eight days or longer.

Symptoms may include:

• Severe stomach cramps
• Diarrhea, which may be watery or bloody
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue
• Low-grade fever
• Dehydration

In some cases, E. coli infection can trigger a serious complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can lead to kidney failure, permanent health problems, and death (CDC — Signs of HUS). HUS is considered a medical emergency.

When Can an E. coli Injury Lead to a Legal Claim?

Not every case of food poisoning is caused by negligence.

A potential claim may exist when a restaurant, food manufacturer, grocery store, or other business knew or should have known about a contamination risk and failed to act reasonably.

Examples may include:

• A restaurant serving undercooked ground beef, such as hamburgers
• Cross-contamination during food preparation
• A grocery store selling contaminated produce, such as lettuce or spinach
• A food manufacturer failing to follow proper sanitation procedures
• A recalled product remaining available for sale
• Unpasteurized milk, juice, or cider sold without proper labeling
• Contaminated water used in food preparation
• Improper food storage or refrigeration temperatures
• Employees failing to follow hand-washing or food-safety protocols

The key question is often whether the responsible party had information — or should have had information through reasonable food-safety practices — that should have prevented the contamination.

E. coli Poisoning After a Restaurant Meal

Restaurants are a common setting for serious E. coli outbreaks, particularly involving undercooked ground beef and cross-contaminated produce.

If a restaurant fails to cook ground beef to a safe internal temperature, serves contaminated leafy greens, or allows cross-contact between raw and ready-to-eat foods, the consequences can be severe. Our broader Food Allergy Negligence practice addresses claims involving restaurants, manufacturers, retailers, and other businesses responsible for unsafe food.

E. coli From Mislabeled, Recalled, or Contaminated Packaged Food

Not all E. coli cases involve restaurants.

Packaged and fresh foods can also cause serious infections when:

• A recalled product remains on store shelves
• Ground beef, produce, or flour is contaminated during processing
• A manufacturer fails to follow FDA or USDA sanitation standards
• Unpasteurized juice, cider, or dairy products are sold to consumers
• Irrigation water or field conditions contaminate leafy greens
• A grocery store sells expired or improperly stored food

These cases may involve food manufacturers, distributors, retailers, grocery stores, or other companies in the supply chain.

E. coli Injuries Involving Children

Children younger than five are at significantly increased risk of severe complications from E. coli, including hemolytic uremic syndrome. According to the CDC, children younger than 5 and adults 65 and older face an increased chance of infection and serious illness.

Parents may rely on schools, daycares, camps, restaurants, or caregivers to follow basic food-safety practices when preparing and serving meals.

Potential cases may involve:

• A daycare or school serving undercooked or contaminated food
• Improper food storage or handling by institutional kitchens
• Delayed medical response after a child shows symptoms of HUS
• Cross-contact in institutional kitchens
• Failure to follow health-department food-safety guidelines

When a child develops a severe E. coli infection or HUS, the emotional and physical toll can affect the entire family.

Serious Complications of E. coli Poisoning

Most people recover from E. coli infection within a week to ten days. Others experience significant, sometimes permanent complications.

Serious E. coli-related injuries may include:

• Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)
• Acute kidney failure
• Permanent kidney damage requiring long-term dialysis
• Sepsis
• Severe dehydration
• Blood clotting disorders
• Stroke
• Prolonged hospitalization or ICU admission
• Death in severe cases

The severity of the medical consequences can have a major impact on the value of a personal injury claim.

What Evidence Can Help Prove an E. coli Claim?

1. coli cases often require careful investigation, in part because symptoms can take several days to appear.

Important evidence may include:

• Stool culture and laboratory test results confirming E. coli or Shiga toxin
• Emergency room and hospital records
• Records of kidney function testing or dialysis, if applicable
• Health department or FDA/USDA complaint records
• Food samples and packaging
• Receipts and online order records
• Photographs of the food
• Menu descriptions
• Witness statements from others who ate the same food
• Surveillance footage
• Health inspection records for the restaurant or facility
• Communications with restaurant, store, or manufacturer management

Preserving evidence early can be important because food may be discarded, surveillance footage may be overwritten, and symptoms can take days to connect back to the source meal.

Who May Be Responsible for an E. coli Injury?

Liability depends on how the contamination occurred.

Potentially responsible parties may include:

• Restaurants
• Restaurant ownership groups and franchise operators
• Food manufacturers and meat processors
• Food distributors
• Grocery stores
• Catering companies
• Schools and daycare facilities
• Hotels and event venues
• Food delivery companies
• Other businesses involved in growing, processing, distributing, or serving the food

Some cases involve multiple responsible parties. My job is to investigate the chain of events and determine where the failure occurred.

What Compensation May Be Available?

Compensation in an E. coli injury claim may include damages related to:

• Emergency medical care
• Hospitalization and IV treatment
• Dialysis and kidney treatment
• Laboratory and diagnostic testing
• Medication
• Future medical expenses
• Lost income
• Loss of earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Long-term medical complications, including permanent kidney damage

If an E. coli infection results in death, surviving family members may have rights under Texas wrongful death law (Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 71).

Why Choose The Moudgil Law Firm for an E. coli Poisoning Case?

Attorney Pulkit Moudgil brings over nine years of experience representing personal injury victims throughout Texas. As a graduate of South Texas College of Law Houston and a licensed Texas attorney since 2016, Pulkit personally handles every case rather than passing clients off to junior attorneys.

1. coli cases can involve complicated questions about food handling, cooking temperatures, agricultural sourcing, sanitation practices, and who had responsibility for preventing the contamination.

The Moudgil Law Firm has recovered over $14 million for clients and is familiar with Houston courts, Harris County procedures, insurance company tactics, and serious personal injury claims.

We prepare every case thoroughly and are ready to pursue litigation when necessary rather than accepting an unfair settlement.

Our contingency fee structure means you pay no attorney fees unless we successfully recover compensation for you. We typically charge 33.33% before a lawsuit is filed and 40% if litigation becomes necessary.

We also keep clients informed throughout the legal process so you understand what is happening with your case and what options are available to you.

Steps to Take After an E. coli Diagnosis

Your health comes first.

Seek medical treatment immediately if you experience bloody diarrhea, signs of dehydration, decreased urination, unusual bruising, or other concerning symptoms, especially in a young child or older adult.

After your condition is stabilized:

1. Ask your doctor for a stool culture to confirm E. coli and test for Shiga toxin.
2. Preserve any remaining food, packaging, and receipts.
3. Take photographs of the food, packaging, and any labeling.
4. Save screenshots of online or delivery orders.
5. Write down exactly what you ate and when symptoms began.
6. Identify anyone else who ate the same food and may also be sick.
7. Report the illness to the local health department and the FDA or USDA food-safety complaint system.
8. Keep copies of all medical records, discharge instructions, and kidney function test results.
9. Preserve communications with the restaurant, store, or manufacturer.
10. Avoid giving a recorded statement to an insurance company before speaking with an attorney.

Contact The Moudgil Law Firm at (832) 476-3209 for a free consultation. We can evaluate what caused your E. coli infection, identify potentially responsible parties, and begin preserving evidence.