How to Sue McDonald’s – Injury Claims Guide

When many of us hear the words “McDonald’s lawsuit,” it brings to mind the McDonald’s hot coffee case of the early nineties. At the time, the suit was fodder for jokes and parodies. However, the victim in that case suffered very real injuries and damages, as have others hurt at the popular fast-food chain.

If you or your loved one sustained an injury at a McDonald’s due to negligence on the part of the restaurant or its employees, you may have a right to personal injury in Las Vegas compensation. Continue reading our injury claims guide to learn more about how to sue McDonald’s.

When Can You Sue McDonald’s for Injury Damages?

Though the McDonald’s hot coffee case mentioned above has become somewhat of a pop culture legend, the injuries involved in the 1994 case were no laughing matter. According to Reuters, the plaintiff, then 81-year-old Stella Liebeck, sustained third-degree burns over 16 percent of her body after scalding coffee spilled onto her lap.

Thirty years later, the McDonald’s Corporation reports that it serves over 63 million worldwide every day. With so many customers and the employees it takes to maintain operations, accidents are bound to occur. When injuries happen due to negligent store conditions or the negligent actions of the company and its employees, those harmed can hold the chain financially liable with an insurance claim or lawsuit.

You may have grounds to sue McDonald’s if you suffered the following:

Burn injuries
Slip and fall injuries
Food poisoning
Car accident injuries on store property
Injuries caused by in-store violence or crime

For a free legal consultation, call (725) 900-9000

What McDonald’s Injury Compensation Can You Recover?

Every personal injury case is different, and the damages you can recover will depend on the nature of your accident, injuries, and resulting expenses. In general, a personal injury attorney with our law firm can help you pursue compensation for the following:

Current and future medical expenses
Lost wages
Lost future earning capacity
Personal property damages
Household services, such as childcare costs
Physical pain
Mental and emotional suffering
Loss of enjoyment
Diminished quality of life

Our wrongful death lawyers also advocate for grieving families. Financial compensation through a wrongful death action could include funeral costs, burial fees, and end-of-life care expenses.

Injured Employees May Qualify for Workers’ Compensation

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), fast food workers suffer on-the-job injuries at a higher rate than other food service employees. Common workplace injuries include sprains and strains, cuts, puncture wounds, burns, broken bones, and contusions.

If you sustained an injury while working at McDonald’s, our firm’s workers’ compensation lawyers can help you apply for benefits and fight to ensure you receive a fair settlement.

How Can You Prove McDonald’s Is Liable for Your Injury?

Establishing liability means proving that another party’s negligent or wrongful actions caused your injuries and related financial losses. The four elements needed to prove negligence are as follows:

Duty of care. The duty of care is the responsibility we owe one another to act in a manner that avoids causing injury or harm. McDonald’s has a duty of care to maintain a safe environment for its customers and employees.
Breach of duty. A party breaches the duty of care when they act (or fail to act) in a manner most others in their situation would find reasonable.
Causation. Causation is the link between the at-fault party’s actions and the incident that caused your injury.
Damages. Damages are proof that your injury led to economic and non-economic losses.

The negligent party who caused your injury could be a McDonald’s employee, manager, restaurant owner, or even another customer. However, you can hold the McDonald’s Corporation liable for the negligent actions of its workers and franchisees under a legal principle known as vicarious liability. If your case warrants multiple claims, we can help with suits against all those at fault.

Examples of Negligence

You may have grounds for a negligence-based claim or lawsuit if your McDonald’s injury resulted from the following:

Wet floors
Greasy floors
Broken or cracked flooring
Obstructed walkways
Expired or contaminated food
Improperly stored or handled food
Excessively hot food or beverages
Lack of cleanliness
Lack of lighting
Broken equipment or machinery
Dangerous parking lot or drive-thru lane conditions
Failure to train or vet employees
Lack of workplace safety procedures
Lack of security

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How Long Do You Have to Sue McDonald’s?

You benefit from getting started on your McDonald’s injury claim immediately. Your lawsuit is subject to your state’s statute of limitations for personal injury or wrongful death. If the deadlines where you live expire, the court will refuse your case, and you will likely be unable to recover fair compensation.

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Do You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer to Sue McDonald’s?

Taking on a large corporation like McDonald’s can be intimidating and challenging. You will be up against the resources of an international food chain restaurant and the lawyers its money can buy. You deserve to have quality legal representation behind your injury claim, as well.

When you work with our firm’s accident attorneys, we will do the following to build a robust case proving your right to compensation:

Prove negligence using evidence, including police or accident reports, eyewitness accounts, surveillance video, and expert opinions
Identify and calculate your losses
Draft and file your insurance claims or lawsuits
Communicate with involved parties on your behalf
Protect you from bad-faith tactics or pressure to accept a lower settlement than you deserve
Aggressively negotiate for the compensation possible
Prepare your case for trial and represent you in civil court if necessary

You Can Afford an Attorney

Many personal injury lawyers, including those on our legal team, work on contingency. We can take your case for nothing upfront or out of pocket. We will only collect attorney’s fees if and when we win compensation for you.

Contact Van Law About Your McDonald’s Injury Claim

Van Law has more than a decade of experience representing clients in Nevada and Washington State. If you suffered an injury at a fast-food chain restaurant, our team can help you pursue economic justice.

Contact us today for a free consultation. We can tell you more about how to sue McDonald’s and how you benefit from working with our legal team.

No obligation consultations are always free.

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Client Testimonials

These guys are amazing. Helped me throughout the process. Always there when I need help. Inititailly called a law firm (the one that has lots of ads on the radio), but they declined my case. Van Law Firm accepted my case without a second thought! Kudos to Daniel, my case manager, and Amanda who expedited my payment process. Highly recommended.

Milby Mags

Got in an accident at the beginning of the year and they have been awesome, especially with it being my first accident and me being like this. They have been very communicated, stayed in contact with me the whole time, giving me updates when there were any and even when there weren’t and answered any question I had. I would recommend them to anyone. Everyone I have talked to there has been very friendly. I would give them a 10 out of 10.

Ethan Gullet

They made sure that my insurance company covered what I paid for them to which included the gap for my car that was totaled. My medical costs were taken care of and reduced substantially so I was able to get more on my settlement. My case manager, Will Garcia, was always helpful in assisting me and answering any questions I had. They really did an amazing job with my case. I would definitely recommend them to anyone in need of this type of legal help. Most lawyers do not help you with the recovery of the car and rental etc. They are amazing.

Teresa Cuthbertson