Lawyers Have Now Issued Legal Proceedings After Attempting To Settle Claims Of Those Affected

Seventeen people who suffered gastric illness symptoms following a wedding reception in November 2014 at The Riverside in Leeds have issued proceedings against TCSC Ltd, trading as The Roast, after being unable to settle the claims out of court.

The illness victims instructed specialist public health lawyers at Irwin Mitchell after a number of those affected by the outbreak were confirmed to be suffering from campylobacter, the most common cause of food poisoning in the UK.

The Defendant has admitted liability subject to causation being established. This means that they will pay compensation to all of Irwin Mitchell’s clients who can establish that their illness was caused by food consumed at the wedding.

Laura Ferris, 55, from Selby, was sent by her GP to hospital for emergency treatment after she and a number of her family members developed serious illness following the event. She is among 17 guests at the wedding reception who instructed Irwin Mitchell to investigate the source of the outbreak. The outbreak was also reported to Public Health England.

The investigation by the group’s legal team found that many of those who had chosen the chicken dish from the set menu for the reception fell ill.

Amandeep Dhillon, a Public Health lawyer at Irwin Mitchell who is representing the guests from the wedding reception in Leeds, said:

Expert Opinion

“The number of people involved in this group that were affected by this outbreak and hearing first-hand about the extent and severity of the symptoms which many of our clients have suffered is very concerning.

“We have now had to take the next step in the groups claim and have issued legal proceedings in order to progress the groups claims.

“The seriousness of these issues should not be underestimated, as we have seen numerous cases where people have developed long-term health conditions as a result of gastric illness. They can also cause significant disruption to people’s lives, often forcing them to take time off work and leaving them needing the care and support of loved ones.” Amandeep Dhillon - Partner

The Public Health team at Irwin Mitchell have represented hundreds of people who have suffered illness in the UK, including The Toby Carvery outbreak in Exeter in 2015 where they currently act for over 300 people, and have successfully recovered compensation for groups of Claimants who suffered illness as a result of the Newcastle Spice Festival, Grand Hotel Scarborough and Stoke Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks. 

Laura, who is the sister of the bride and was the matron of honour at the wedding, started to suffer serious illness symptoms including diarrhoea and stomach cramps two days after the wedding. After speaking to her GP, she was sent to York District Hospital for emergency rehydration treatment.

The symptoms she endured forced her to take two weeks off work.

Laura said: "The illness that I suffered after the wedding turned a day which we should have been able to remember with joy, into a bad memory and one which we all want to forget.

“The symptoms were terrible and lingered on for weeks after the event. It was an unsettling experience, especially when I ended up in hospital requiring emergency rehydration. While there were obvious physical issues linked to the food poisoning, there has also been a severe emotional toll.”

If you've suffered food poisoning due to poor hygiene standards, our personal injury lawyers could help you claim compensation. For more information visit our Food Poisoning Compensation Claims page.