What Should I Do if a Restaurant Served Me Raw Food?

 Posted on January 18, 2026 in Food Poisoning

When dining at a restaurant, you would expect a professional level of care in making sure that the food is safe to eat. Unfortunately, some restaurants miss the mark when it matters most. If your health was compromised by a raw or undercooked dish, you may have a food poisoning claim on your hands. An Illinois food poisoning attorney can help you take legal action and seek compensation for your damages.

At Newland & Newland, LLP, we have years of experience investigating food poisoning incidents, from small, isolated cases to nationwide outbreaks. Our firm can review your case and inform you of your next steps, prioritizing your best interests.

What Are the Health Risks of Eating Raw Meat?

Eating raw or undercooked meat can expose you to dangerous bacteria and parasites. Restaurants are required to handle and cook food safely. When this basic step isn’t followed, patrons are put at risk. Raw poultry, beef, pork, and seafood can carry organisms like Salmonella, E. coli, campylobacter, and listeria. These pathogens can survive if meat is not cooked to the proper internal temperature.

Some of these infections cause mild illness. Others can be more severe. Children, older adults, pregnant people, and those with weakened immune systems face higher risks. In serious cases, foodborne illness can lead to dehydration, kidney failure, sepsis, or even death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 48 million people in the United States get sick from foodborne illness each year, and undercooked meat is a common source of outbreaks.

Undercooked food safety issues are not limited to meat. Raw or undercooked eggs, seafood, and shellfish can also carry harmful bacteria and parasites. Unpasteurized dairy products and improperly cooked rice may pose risks as well. When restaurants fail to prepare these foods safely, customers can end up exposed to foodborne illness.

How to Report a Restaurant to the Health Department

If a restaurant served you raw food, reporting it can help hold it accountable. Start by contacting your local health department. In Illinois, most counties and cities have a health department that oversees restaurant inspections and complaints.

When you file a report, be ready to share details. This includes the restaurant name, address, date of your visit, and what you were served. If you still have leftovers or a receipt, keep them. The health department may inspect the restaurant, review food handling practices, and issue citations if violations are found.

Reporting is not about punishment alone. It helps identify unsafe practices, which can then prevent other people from getting sick. It also creates a record. That record can matter later if you or someone else becomes ill and needs to show that the restaurant had prior issues. Even if you don’t get sick, reporting raw food is still important to prevent future incidents.

Illinois requires restaurants to follow food safety laws or face legal action from health departments (410 ILCS 625/1). When a restaurant serves raw food that should have been cooked, the State can pursue an injunction to stop the restaurant from selling food until it complies.

Common Symptoms of Food Poisoning

Symptoms of food poisoning can appear within hours or may take several days. The timing often depends on the type of bacteria involved. Some people feel sick quickly. Others do not connect their symptoms to a meal they ate days earlier.

Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and fever. Some people also experience headaches, fatigue, or muscle aches. Diarrhea may be watery or bloody. Vomiting and diarrhea can lead to dehydration, especially in children and older adults.

Certain infections cause more severe symptoms. E. coli can lead to kidney complications. Listeria can cause serious illness in pregnant people and may harm the fetus. If your symptoms are severe, persistent, or worsening over time, be sure to seek treatment immediately. Seeing a doctor also creates a medical record that may later support a legal claim.

Food Poisoning Claims Involving Rare Meat

Not all raw or undercooked meat cases are the same. Some restaurants serve meat cooked "rare" or "medium rare," especially steak. In those situations, liability depends on several factors. Whole cuts of beef are generally safer when cooked rare, since bacteria are usually on the surface. Ground meat is different. Bacteria can be mixed throughout, making undercooking far more dangerous.

If you ordered meat rare and the menu warned of the risks, the restaurant may argue that you accepted those risks. However, this doesn’t absolve the establishment of all responsibility. Restaurants still must follow food safety rules and store, handle, and prepare food properly. Serving poultry or ground meat undercooked is far harder to defend.

Another issue is whether the food was truly raw or just not prepared as requested. If you ordered a cooked dish and received raw meat instead, that points toward negligence. Documentation helps here. Photos of the food, receipts, and witness statements can make a difference.

Will a Restaurant Pay for My Damages if I Get Sick?

A restaurant may be responsible for damages if its actions caused your illness. It may be liable to compensate you for medical bills, lost wages, and other related costs. To succeed, you must show that the food was unsafe, and that eating it caused your illness.

These cases often rely on medical evidence. Lab tests, stool samples, and doctor diagnoses can help link your illness to foodborne bacteria. Health department reports and inspection records may also support your claim. Timing matters. The closer your symptoms appear to the when you ate the unsafe food, the stronger the connection may be.

Restaurants and their insurers may push back. They may argue that the illness came from another source. They may point to warnings on the menu. This is why acting quickly is important. Preserve evidence. Seek medical care. Report the incident. These steps protect your health and your rights.

Contact an Illinois Personal Injury Attorney

At Newland & Newland, LLP, we help people take action after a restaurant serves raw or undercooked food. Our Illinois food poisoning lawyers can review what happened, determine whether the restaurant violated safety rules, and explain whether you may have a claim. Call 312-981-0409 to set up a free consultation.