A DeFuniak Springs, Fla. woman is suing McDonald’s for $13 million, claiming she ordered coffee from a restaurant in Dothan and was served cleaning chemicals that injured her.
The 15-page suit was filed this morning in Houston County Circuit Court, seeking $3 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages.
According to the lawsuit, Sherry Head ordered a caramel macchiato from the drive-thru window at McDonald’s on Ross Clark Circle in Dothan on Dec. 21, 2020.
Head said she was told the drink was unavailable, as the machine was being cleaned. Then Head heard someone in the background say, “No, it’s ready to go!” according to the lawsuit.
She was served the coffee with the lid on. She took a drink and experienced a “burning and numbing sensation in her mouth and throat,” the suit states. When she opened the lid, she saw something that appeared to be a chemical.
Head said when she reported it to the store, the manager screamed to employees, “I told y’all you have to be more careful about that!” before turning back to her and saying it was “fine.” When Head asked to see the label of the chemical that had been in her coffee cup, the manager refused, and did not call poison control. The manager then “slammed” the drive-thru window shut, she said.
Head’s attorneys say she is suffering from injuries to her mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, digestive tract, and other internal organs, as well as “anxiety, fear and mental anguish.”
According to Head’s attorneys, she has been diagnosed scarring and narrowing in her throat, difficulty swallowing, chronic gastritis, acid reflux and abdominal pain. She may need surgery to preserve her ability to swallow.
Gerry Murphy, McDonald’s owner/operator, said the company is aware of the lawsuit.
“The health and safety of our customers and employees is always a top priority. Immediately upon learning of this concern, we conducted a thorough investigation to understand the facts,” Murphy said.
This post was updated at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 20 to add a company statement.
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