It may be hard to imagine why a fast food diner drive thru could become a dangerous place, but it seems that accidents happen all the time in these places. Perhaps it’s because people are in such a hurry or fail to watch what is happening when they are concentrating on making an order or clutching their take out. The most common accident at a McDonald’s drive thru is a rear end crash when an driver hits you in the line.
Drive thrus can be busy and hectic, especially around lunch or dinner time, but this doesn’t excuse driver inattention. If you are hurt in a drive thru accident, you are entitled to seek compensation through a personal injury claim. You will find that an attorney will give you good legal advice and help with obtaining fair compensation.
Damages You May Receive After an Accident in a McDonald’s Drive Thru
The damages you are likely to claim depend on the nature of your injury, but will normally always include any damage to your car, like a crumpled fender, a dent in the side of the car and scratches. If you hit your head or strained your neck, both common rear end collision injuries, you may want any medical treatment paid for, as well as compensation for lost earnings if your injuries prevented you from going back to work immediately.
Most personal injury claims also include components for pain and suffering, which can be substantial. Payments for pain and suffering are not usually allowed in a ‘no-fault’ state, unless your own injuries were serious. This then allows you to file a personal injury claim. A personal injury lawyer will help you establish what you can and can’t claim damages for when in an accident in a McDonald's drive thru.
Why Consider a Lawyer?
Even if you have made a claim after an accident before, or the circumstances are quite clear cut, it is advisable to get legal advice first before considering a claim. Any claim you make will be filed with the insurance company of the driver who caused the accident if you are in an ‘at-fault’ state.
Insurance providers sometime deny claims. There may be an attempt to contest your statement concerning who was responsible. It may even be claimed that you were at fault. To avoid this, insurance claims should always be accompanied by sufficient convincing evidence of what went wrong and who was at fault.
You should consider discussing the accident with an experienced personal injury lawyer before filing the claim. The lawyer can ensure you have sufficient documentation and proof of who was at fault. A lawyer will be of particular value if your claim is against McDonald’s rather than another driver, e.g. if an object near the drive thru got loose and caused the accident.
Work With a Personal Injury Lawyer Today
You will find that an initial discussion with an experienced PI lawyer will provide you with a realistic assessment of your legal options. Most lawyers provide free initial consultations and will defer legal fees if your case is taken up until a settlement is negotiated in your favor.
To be connected with a personal injury lawyer in your area today, fill out our free case evaluation form on this page.
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*Disclaimer: The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against McDonald’s, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
