Margaret-Ann Reynard, 40, a former midwife in Scotland, became ill after celebrating her 35th birthday at a Chinese restaurant in East Kilbride in October 2000 where she acquired salmonella poisoning that left her disabled. Her lawyer said the salmonella triggered reactive arthritis, a condition that left her not only unable to work, but she can now hardly walk, needs regular painkillers and has a daily caregiver.

The judge broke the record $2 million award into three categories — pain and suffering, loss of future wages and future cares costs, The Times of London reported.