You may have heard of slip-and-fall accidents at restaurants but may have never thought of accidents happening in a drive-thru. However, rear-end accidents, where another driver in the lane hits your vehicle from the back, are one of the most common accidents at a drive-thru.
A drive-thru may be extremely busy and chaotic during peak hours, such as lunch or dinner. But that doesn’t give drivers an excuse not to pay attention in front of them. If you’ve suffered injuries in a drive-thru, contact Ehline Law and our Los Angeles personal injury attorneys for legal advice, as you may be able to seek compensation.
Common Drive-thru Injuries
Since the most common types of accidents at a drive-thru are rear-end collisions, you may suffer the following injuries:
Although the speed of the vehicle hitting you in a drive-thru is much lower than an auto accident on a road or a highway, these accidents can still result in serious injuries, especially to the elderly or children in the car.
You may also suffer from food poisoning if the employee was negligent in their food preparation. Fast food restaurants like McDonald’s follow a hygiene protocol before food preparation, and if an employee does not practice good hygiene, it can result in serious food poisoning, for which you can file a claim.
It is crucial to speak to an experienced personal injury attorney about your case as soon as possible to learn more about your rights as an injured victim.
Besides the injuries mentioned above, a drive-thru accident can also lead to emotional distress. Victims may experience pain and emotional distress from their injuries which may take months or even years to recover, which is why filing a personal injury claim and fighting for your rights is the best way to move forward.
Hot Beverage Injuries at a Drive-thru
If a McDonalds’ employee is negligent in handling your order, it can result in spillage, and if you ordered hot coffee or any other hot beverages, it could lead to burn injuries.
Liebeck v. McDonald’s Restaurants is one of the most famous lawsuits filed in 1994, where Stella Liebeck, a 74-year-old woman, burned herself after the hot coffee she ordered spilled all over her. Liebeck was in the hospital for eight days and had to undergo a skin grafting surgery followed by two years of medical treatment.
She won the lawsuit as McDonald’s was grossly negligent, especially after her attorneys discovered that there were hundreds of complaints previously filed regarding the temperature of the coffee.
Damages You May Receive After an Accident in a McDonald’s Drive-thru
The damages you may receive after a McDonald’s drive-thru accident depend on the severity of the injuries.
Some of the damages can include the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and mental anguish.
An experienced personal injury lawyer would be better able to assess your case and determine the damages you may be able to recover.
Do Injured Victims Need Attorneys to File Personal Injury Claims?
If the accident at a drive-thru of a fast food restaurant only resulted in property damage, you can file a claim with the insurance and receive compensation for the damages. However, if the accident resulted in injuries, you may want to speak to an experienced personal injury attorney for advice.
An attorney will help determine whether your personal injury accident is against the fast food restaurant or a negligent driver. They will help gather the evidence, build a strong case, and handle the insurance company on your behalf.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Ehline Law Firm
Personal injury accidents can lead to medical costs, lost income, reduced quality of life, and other damages. It is important to file a personal injury claim to recover compensation.
If you suffered a serious injury in a McDonald’s drive-thru accident, contact us at (833) LETS-SUE for a free consultation, as you may be eligible for compensation. Our attorneys will help investigate how the accident happened and hold the responsible party accountable for your loss.
