Our bodies are amazing. They are capable of creating life, doing amazing and complex things, and they can be allergic to foods and other compounds that are common in foods that other people can eat without issue. MSG is a common ingredient that is present in a ton of different foods, namely in fast foods and foods like Chinese take-out and dine-in options. MSG can cause a ton of different problems in the body and if you end up ingesting MSG at a restaurant you may be able to file suit.
What is an MSG Allergy?
MSG, also called monosodium glutamate, is a common ingredient in Chinese and other fast foods to help improve the taste and enhance the taste of the food. Though many people have never had a reaction from it, there are just as many people that have had adverse reactions to ingesting MSG. There are tons of different issues and problems that come with an MSG allergy that can cause you trouble.
Common symptoms are headache, skin flushing, sweating, and stomach discomfort. MSG is fairly common in most fast foods and in most restaurants as it does help to enhance taste without changing the amount of time that it takes to make the food. Though other restaurants use it, MSG is most commonly associated with Americanized Chinese foods. MSG is not a deadly chemical that is going to kill you instantly, it can however make you very uncomfortable and can make for a very unpleasant time before it leaves your system.
MSG allergies are not all that common, but they can cause a great deal of trouble if you are eating a ton of MSG. In smaller amounts, it is far less likely to affect you unless you are very sensitive to it. If you are very sensitive, you may be able to notice the negative effects very quickly which can lead to pain and discomfort on your part. MSG is most likely to affect you sometime after you have eaten it, most people that are sensitive to it are not going to have immediate negative effects.
Must Restaurants Disclose the Use of MSG?
When a restaurant uses MSG, it is not required by law to disclose to every customer that MSG is used in their foods. However, if you tell the restaurant owners or staff that you are allergic, and the use of MSG is then not disclosed the restaurant owner is liable. For any food allergy, if you tell the wait staff, the owner, or anyone else that is in charge of bringing the food to you and making it and they do not work to let you know what foods contain it and avoid bringing it to you, they can be held responsible.
If you are aware that you are allergic and you tell the restaurant staff and they do nothing about it, yes, you can bring suit against the restaurant. If you are unaware that you have an allergy to MSG then you eat it and get sick, you cannot hold the restaurant liable.
If you are looking to file personal injury claims and you want further assistance, you should contact a lawyer. Food-related claims are notoriously hard to prove and hard to prosecute because for the most part. It is he said she said instance. If you are going out to eat at any restaurant and you do have a food allergy it is always helpful to have an allergy card or an allergy alert with you to help keep everyone aware of what might happen and what might be going on.
With any lawsuit, it is always the best idea to find a law firm and a lawyer that is going to specialize in the particular type of suit that you are filing. You would not go to a foot surgeon to complete your heart surgery, would you? A specialized attorney that is going to be able to handle your personal injury case and be able to collect the right information, the right evidence, and argue your case is going to be far better in terms of outcome than a run-of-the-mill lawyer. While MSG does not have lasting negative effects, it can make you very uncomfortable and it can make it hard for you to go out and enjoy yourself. Many restaurants have moved away from using MSG, but some do still use it as a cheap flavor enhancer to help make their food more flavorful with less time.
If you are thinking of filing a suit you do need to find the right lawyer for your particular case. They can help you to collect the information that you need to win your case and can help you get the settlement that you deserve. Settlements can be used to help recover money lost from time off work, pay for medical bills, and help to pay for the suffering that you experienced as a result of the neglect of another person or a business in general after you let them know you had an allergy.
Interesting Related Article: “How to Set up an Online Ordering System for Your Restaurant“