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Allergic Reaction After Eating At Beefeater Grill – Can I Claim Compensation?

I Had An Allergic Reaction To Food From A Beefeater, Could I Claim Compensation?

If you have a food allergy, you might have to restrict what you eat in order to avoid suffering a reaction. This could mean eating in a restaurant might be tricky. If you’ve had an allergic reaction after eating at a Beefeater Grill, it may be because you have not checked the Beefeater allergy menu before ordering, or you might have tried someone else’s food, not realising that allergens were contained in it. 

However, if you have suffered a food allergy at a Beefeater Grill due to the allergy menu being incorrect, and not accurately listing allergens that are in the dishes on the menu, it could be possible to make a personal injury claim if you can prove the restaurant’s failings. Personal injury claims could also be made against Beefeater restaurants if they have failed to leave out an allergen you’ve asked to be omitted from your meal, leading to you suffering a reaction. Again, providing evidence of the restaurant breaching its duty of care is paramount.

This guide has been created to answer some of the frequently asked questions about whether you could claim for a food allergy reaction at a Beefeater Grill. In it, we discuss compensation payouts, how using a personal injury solicitor could benefit you, and how to claim without having to pay any legal fees until your claim was concluded. We also discuss what responsibilities a restaurant has towards you when it comes to a food allergy.

If you’re already ready to begin your claim and would like us to provide you with a personal injury lawyer, you can contact us at any time on 0800 073 8804. Likewise, if you have any questions about your eligibility to claim or the process of making a claim for an allergy to Beefeater Grill food, we’re here to offer free, no-obligation advice you can trust.

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A Guide To Claims For An Allergic Reaction After Eating At A Beefeater Grill

Allergic reaction after eating Beefeater Grill claims guide

If you know you have a food allergy of some sort, you may have requested the Beefeater allergen list from your server. Or, you may have checked for the most up-to-date Beefeater nutritional information for 2020 on their website so you could get an idea of what is safe to order. You may have even requested when ordering your meal, that a certain allergen is left out of your dish. However, if the allergy guide is inaccurate, or the server forgets to leave something out of your meal, you could still have an allergic reaction after eating at a Beefeater Grill.

If you’ve experienced an allergic reaction to a Beefeater Grill meal, you may be wondering whether you could claim compensation. In order to make such a claim, you would need to prove that:

  1. Beefeater Grill had a duty of care towards you
  2. The restaurant or the staff breached that duty
  3. You suffered some kind of harm due to this
  4. Your claim was submitted before the personal injury claims time limit that applied to your claim

Whether you have suffered a mild reaction that has led to some unpleasant symptoms, or a life-threatening Beefeater nut allergy reaction, having a personal injury lawyer help you with your claim could be beneficial. Not only would they be able to put together a strong case against Beefeater that they would find it difficult to refute, but they could also negotiate the maximum compensation payout possible for your claim. 

By taking on the hard work of building your case and negotiating your compensation settlement, a lawyer could take the stress out of making a claim, allowing you to concentrate on moving forward after such an unpleasant incident. But how do you know whether you’d be eligible to claim and how much compensation could you get for your reaction?

This guide answers these questions and more. Below, we offer detailed information on the types of allergic reactions after eating at a Beefeater Grill you could suffer, including the situations that could lead to a reaction. We also offer details of the laws that protect you as a consumer when purchasing food from a restaurant.

What Are Food Allergies Triggered In A Beefeater Restaurant?

A food allergy occurs when the human body perceives an ingredient you’ve consumed as a threat. Some people are allergic to more than one type of food or ingredient, whereas others may only be allergic to one thing. When the body perceives something as a threat, it begins an immune system response. This is what causes the unpleasant and even life-threatening symptoms of an allergic reaction.

What Food Allergies May People Suffer From?

There are different types of allergic reactions that a person could suffer if they consume foods they’re allergic to. These include:

IgE-mediated Food Allergies – these are considered to be the most common types of allergic reaction and are caused when the immune system produces a specific antibody, which is called immunoglobulin E. 

Usually, symptoms of this kind of reaction appear minutes, or even seconds after an allergen is consumed. The symptoms of this kind of reaction could include:

  • Hay fever symptoms
  • Wheezing
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Itching/tingling in the mouth
  • Dizziness
  • Trouble swallowing
  • Swelling of the throat, mouth, face or body
  • Hives

There is more chance of a person suffering anaphylaxis with this type of reaction than with others.

Anaphylaxis – Anaphylaxis requires rapid treatment, as it could be life-threatening. The symptoms of this severe reaction include those listed above, as well as:

  • Anxiety
  • Difficulty breathing, speaking or swallowing
  • Clamminess
  • Wheezing
  • Collapsing
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Confusion

Non-IgE-mediated food allergies – reactions of this type may produce symptoms that appear some time after an allergen has been consumed. This could make them trickier to diagnose. These reactions are still triggered by the immune system, but not by the antibody known as immunoglobulin E. Symptoms of a non-IgE reaction could include:

  • Itchy skin or skin that is dry, cracked and red
  • Constipation
  • Vomiting
  • Cramps

It could be possible for you to suffer mixed IgE and non-IgE mediated reactions.

Oral allergy syndrome – This is also known as pollen-food syndrome. It could cause you to suffer itching of the throat and mouth, and mild swelling after eating certain vegetables or fruit. It could occur if the allergy antibodies in your body mistake certain proteins contained in fresh fruits, nuts or vegetables as pollen. Usually, cooking fruits and vegetables thoroughly gets rid of such proteins.

Which Foods Could Trigger An Allergic Reaction?

Food that could trigger an allergic reaction after eating at a Beefeater Grill could vary. You may experience a reaction if you have any of the following allergies:

  • A nut allergy
  • An egg allergy
  • A milk allergy
  • A dairy allergy
  • A wheat allergy
  • A soy allergy
  • A fruit allergy
  • A cereal allergy
  • A gluten allergy
  • A celery allergy
  • A seafood allergy
  • A fish allergy
  • A lupin allergy
  • A mustard allergy
  • A shellfish allergy
  • An allergy to sulphur dioxide

If you believe you are allergic to certain foods, it could be a good idea to go for allergy testing to clarify whether you have a food allergy. You can find allergy services near to you by checking the NHS website.

How Often Do People Have Allergic Reactions To Foods?

Allergies are quite common across the world, according to Allergy UK. In fact, it has been estimated that somewhere between 1 and 10 per cent of children and adults are hypersensitive to foods. According to other estimates, it is thought that between 11 and 26 million Europeans have a food allergy, with young children being of particular concern. Toddlers are thought to have a higher prevalence of allergy (somewhere between 5-8%), while adults are thought to have a prevalence of between 1-2%.

I Requested That One Of These Items Not Be Served To Me

Whether you have nut allergies, a dairy allergy, or you’re allergic to another type of food, one step you could take to avoid having an allergic reaction after eating at a Beefeater Grill could be to ask the staff to leave something out when they prepare your food. If you have checked the Beefeater allergy information and a dish you would like contains mustard, for example, you could ask the staff to leave the mustard out when preparing your meal. 

Government guidelines suggest that if an amendment to a meal could be possible, a restaurant should try to comply with such a request. You could also expect that if an amendment could not be made to a meal to leave an allergen out, the staff would inform you so that you could choose another dish. There are various requests you could make to have something left out of your meal, such as:

  • No Cheese
  • No Eggs
  • No Wheat
  • No Oats
  • No Fish
  • No Milk
  • No Nuts

I Was Served A Food Which Staff Were Informed I Am Allergic To

If, after consulting an allergen guide or getting nutritional advice from staff, you ask for an ingredient to be left out of your meal, you would expect the staff to follow your instructions. But what happens if they don’t? 

If you are served food containing an allergen you’d asked to be left out of your meal and staff had agreed with your request, if you suffer an allergic reaction after eating at a Beefeater grill because of this, you could make a claim for compensation as long as you can evidence the request and the restaurant’s breach of duty. Claims could be made where staff have not complied with your request for:

  • No Cheese
  • No Eggs
  • No Wheat
  • No Oats
  • No Fish
  • No Milk
  • No Nuts

How Negligence Could Lead To People Being Exposed To Allergens

Negligence could lead to an allergic reaction to a Beefeater Grill in a number of ways. These include:

  • Failure to warn – A restaurant has a duty to warn you if specific ingredients are contained within your food. They could do so via their website, menus or other printed material. Failure to warn could constitute negligence.
  • Failure to comply with a request – If you’ve asked for an ingredient to be left out when your food is prepared, and the restaurant ignores your request, this could also constitute negligence.
  • Failure to advise that an allergen cannot be left out of your meal – If a restaurant takes your order with a request for an ingredient to be left out of your meal and this request cannot be complied with, you should be told. This way, you could order another item instead.

If you’re not sure whether your allergic reaction after eating at a Beefeater Grill could be caused by negligence, please do not hesitate to call our expert advisors. We could offer you a free case check to see if you could be eligible to make a claim.

What Are Your Rights When Dining At Any Restaurant?

Consumers have certain rights when it comes to ordering and consuming food in a restaurant. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 protects consumers from loss, damage or injury caused by defective products or products that are not as described. 

Food ordered at a restaurant could be considered defective or not as described if:

  • It contains some specific allergens, yet they are not listed on the menu, website or other printed materials
  • It contains an allergen you asked to be left out
  • It is cross-contaminated with an allergen you asked to be left out

How To Claim If You Failed To Notify A Restaurant Of Your Allergy

Making a claim for an allergic reaction after eating at a Beefeater Grill may be something you think would not be possible if you had not informed the staff that you had an allergic condition. 

However, there are certain allergens that should be clearly communicated to customers on the menu of the restaurant, online or on other printed material advertising the product. 

The following are allergens that, according to law, food services providers have a duty to inform you of:

  • Crustacea and related products
  • Eggs
  • Fish
  • Soybeans
  • Milk and milk products
  • Lactose
  • Nuts
  • Celery
  • Cereals with gluten/wheat
  • Mustard
  • Shellfish
  • Peanuts
  • Sesame seeds
  • Molluscs
  • Lupin
  • Sulphites/Sulphur dioxide

Nutritional Advice And Menu For Beefeater Grill Restaurants

If you’re looking to avoid an allergic reaction after eating at a Beefeater Grill, you might prefer to check out the menu before you visit the restaurant to see what dishes you could safely consume. 

We have replicated the Beefeater Grill menu here, so you can get some idea of what is available, but it would be a wise idea to ask the serving staff or check the allergy menu to get up-to-date advice on allergens in their dishes.

Starters

  • Soup of the day
  • Classic prawn cocktail
  • Calamari
  • Crispy flat cap mushrooms
  • Buttermilk chicken goujons

Mains

House Favourites

  • Beer-battered haddock and chips
  • Scampi
  • Luxury beef and pancetta lasagne
  • Mozzarella-filled chicken wrapped in pancetta
  • Open chicken sandwich
  • Buttermilk chicken goujon salad with caesar dressing

Steaks

  • 8oz Fillet
  • 10oz Ribeye
  • 8oz Sirloin
  • 8oz Rump

Tender Grills

  • Smothered chicken melt
  • BBQ chicken and ribs
  • Grilled gammon steak
  • Beefeater mixed grill
  • Premium surf and turf combo

Sides

  • Peppercorn sauce
  • Crispy beer-battered onion rings

Puddings

  • Sticky toffee pudding
  • Triple chocolate brownie
  • Meringue kisses
  • Caramel apple betty
  • Ice cream
  • Churros chocolate sundae

We would also recommend you check the Beefeater restaurant drinks menu too, as some drinks may also contain allergens.

Compensation Calculator For Allergic Reactions After Eating At A Beefeater Grill

The compensation you could receive for an allergic reaction after eating at a Beefeater Grill could vary depending on the severity of the reaction and the effect it has had on you. You may be looking for a tool such as a personal injury claims calculator that would give you an idea of how much your claim could be worth. 

However, we should tell you that these tools wouldn’t be able to give you an accurate sum. This is due to the fact that the medical evidence and facts surrounding your case have to be established to work out an appropriate settlement. 

We can, however, give you details of what the Judicial College has published in their guidelines as being appropriate compensation brackets for certain injuries that we feel could relate to a food allergy at Beefeater.

Edit
Injury Severity Approximate Compensation
Mental Anguish – £4,380
Allergic reaction Slight From around £860 to £3,710
Allergic reaction Minor £3,710 to £8,950
Allergic reaction Serious £8,950 to £18,020
Allergic reaction Severe £36,060 to £49,270

For a more precise estimate, please get in touch with our team.

How Special Damages May Also Compensate You For Your Allergic Reaction

Special damages could also form part of your compensation payout. If your allergic reaction after eating at a Beefeater grill has caused you to incur expenses such as the below, these could be included in your claim:

  • Medical costs
  • Travel expenses
  • Costs for care
  • Wage losses

In order to claim special damages such as those listed above, you would need to provide evidence of losses and costs. This could be in the form of payslips, receipts, bills or bank statements.

How Allergic Reaction Compensation Claims May Work

If you make a claim for an allergic reaction after eating at a Beefeater Grill, it may not necessitate you having to go to court. In many cases, a personal injury lawyer could build a strong case that Beefeater might find hard to refute, so they may be able to negotiate a settlement outside of the courtroom. However, if Beefeater disputes your claim, your case may have to be heard in the civil courts, though this is unlikely.

This is why having a solicitor on your side could be a good choice. Not only would they be able to negotiate on your behalf outside of court, but they would also be there to support you if your case was to end up in court, and they could fight for the compensation you deserve.

Here at Legal Expert, we could provide you with such a lawyer, working on a No Win No Fee basis, that could support you through the claims process, taking the hard work of proving your claim and negotiating your settlement from you. This way, you would only have to concentrate on moving forward after such an unpleasant incident.

No Win No Fee Claims For Suffering Allergic Reactions After Eating At A Beefeater Grill

Claiming for an allergic reaction after eating at a Beefeater Grill could be done under No Win No Fee terms if you choose to work with a Legal Expert personal injury solicitor. What this means is:

  • No upfront fees to pay
  • No fees to pay throughout your claim
  • No success fee to pay if your lawyer was unable to get you any compensation
  • No lawyer’s costs to pay in an unsuccessful claim
  • Only a small, capped success fee to pay if your claim resulted in compensation. This would be deducted from the settlement award at the end of the case.

If you chose to make a claim on these terms, your lawyer would send you a document to sign, known as a Conditional Fee Agreement. This would agree a success fee, which would only be payable in the event that your claim resulted in a compensation payout. 

If you’d like to know more about No Win No Fee claims, please call our advisors at any time. We’d be happy to discuss this in more detail.

Speaking To A Solicitor

Ready for a free, no-obligation case check? Or ready to start a claim? Perhaps you still have questions about claiming for a food allergy reaction in a Beefeater restaurant. Either way, we’re ready to help:

Resources

Do You Live With Allergies? – The NHS provides advice on how to cope.

How Allergies Are Diagnosed– How to diagnose an allergy is revealed on this page.

More Information On Suing A Restaurant – This guide offers further insight into taking legal action against a restaurant.

Nut Allergy Compensation – Claiming for nut allergies? This guide could offer some useful insight.

What Are My Rights? – Find out more about your rights with regards to restaurant allergies here.

Other Guides Available To Check Out

Guide by Jeffries

Edited by Billing