Parents have every right to expect a safe place for their children to play at parks and fast food play areas in Georgia. Incidents do occasionally happen when a child is injured or sickened from a dangerous property condition. This opens the possibility of a premises liability case, which parents have the right to pursue in order to receive compensation for medical expenses or other consequences of the accident.
The mother of two boys has sued McDonald’s Corp, after her two-year-old son apparently ingested a used condom while playing at a Chicago restaurant. After her son coughed up a piece of the used condom he picked up from the floor in the play area, both of her sons received medical attention. Her complaint states the boys suffered pain, discomfort, and lasting injuries, which were not disclosed.
The woman’s attorney is accusing McDonald’s of negligence and inadequate security measures to prevent a hazardous item such as a condom from being accessible to children in the play area. Attempts to settle with the restaurant corporation were abandoned after “layers of bureaucracy” proved to be difficult to overcome. Instead, the mother is seeking damages of at least $50,000.
Most restaurants that cater to children make attempts to keep the place safe for those playing and eating at the property. Therefore, an incident like this can be especially shocking. When the manager or property owner of a restaurant or playground is found to have caused a customer’s injury – whether through lack of repair or clean premises – customers may wish to pursue legal action.
Source: Reuters, “Lawsuit says two-year-old boy ate used condom at Chicago McDonald’s,” Jonathan Stempel, Mar. 14, 2013
