Georgia Woman Sues After Fast Food Drive-Thru Injury
Many people know why takeout coffee cups are imprinted with warnings about the “hot!” contents they may contain: In 1994, a New Mexico woman won a $2.9 million verdict after she spilled scalding McDonald’s coffee in her lap and sustained third-degree burns. Since then, fast food chains have taken preventative measures to inform customers about the dangers their takeout containers can hold.
Warnings are useless, however, if a customer never has a chance to exercise due caution. In March 2019, a woman in Athens, Georgia sued the fast food chain Chick-fil-A after a drive-thru employee allegedly handed her a cup of coffee with a lid that was not properly secured. Coffee spilled on the woman’s lap and reportedly caused “severe and permanent burns.” She asked for $21,000 to pay her medical bills and additional compensation for other damages.
Though several personal injury lawsuits have sprung up over the years as a result of coffee burns at fast food restaurants and drive-thrus, this is far from the only way that customers have been injured. In August 2018, a pregnant woman was served a cup of cleaning solution when she asked for a coffee refill at a Chick-fil-A in Stockbridge, Georgia. She did not realize the switch until she swallowed the liquid and became sick. An August 2018 lawsuit in Utah alleged that a McDonald’s drive-thru employee laced a customer’s drink with opiates, causing him to lose consciousness and suffer other physical harm. In February 2019, an Ohio man filed a lawsuit against McDonald’s seeking $100,000 after allegedly finding a live mouse in his milkshake.
Being served a hazardous food or drink can be traumatizing. Beyond the initial shock and pain that can occur, a victim can endure lasting physical and mental harm. If a restaurant acted negligently or intentionally served dangerous food, it can be held accountable for the injuries and suffering that result.
As an accomplished personal injury lawyer and civil litigator, I have vast experience helping victims of negligence recoup damages from wrongful parties. To learn more about what legal options may be available to you after a drive-thru injury, call the Law Office of S. Mark Mitchell, LLC at 470-344-8550 or contact me online to schedule a consultation. My office is located in Newnan, Georgia, and I represent clients throughout the state.
