One benefit of working for a large national or international company like McDonald’s is that if you are injured at work or suffer from an illness which is work related, it is most likely that you will be able to make a legitimate claim for compensation. Workers’ compensation payments are designed to alleviate the cost of being absent from work, as well as pay medical costs associated with the injury. A workers’ compensation attorney will be willing to explain your legal rights and help obtain compensation. McDonald's: A Worldwide Employer McDonald's is one of the most recognized international brands the world over. The famous golden arches are commonly scattered along highways, in shopping malls, airports and city centers all over the globe. Ray Kroc was the original founder of McDonald’s, which became a fast food icon back in the 1960s, with the focus on providing drive-in facilities, clean eating areas and rest rooms and fast service. The current headquarters have moved to Chicago, Illinois. McDonald’s may be the world’s largest or second largest private employer with one estimate of the total work force being placed at 1.2 million. What Kinds of Burns Could You Sustain Working at McDonald’s? If you are an employee of McDonald’s, you could suffer burns while on the job. You could suffer thermal burns or electrical burns while performing work duties. A thermal burn results from making direct contact with a heated object, such as hot cooking oil, steam, fire, boiling water, and hot objects. Electrical burns are burns that result when electricity comes into contact with your body. The current travels through your body and can cause damage to your organs and tissues. Levels Of Different Burns By Degree That You Could Suffer While Working At McDonald’s If you are burned while on the job, you can suffer burns of different levels or degrees. These burns range from first-degree, the least serious, to third-degree, which are the most severe. The severity of the burn will affect the extent of medical care that you need, the cost of that care, and then the amount of time that you must be off work for your injury. Here is a run down of the different burns by degree: First-degree burns: These burns cause pain, redness, and swelling. Only the outer layer of skin is affected. Second-degree burns: These burns affect the outer layer of skin and the underlying layer of skin. You will suffer pain, redness, blistering, and swelling. Sometimes these burns are called partial thickness burns. Third-degree burns: These burns affect the deep layers of skin and are sometimes called full thickness burns. These burns leave the burned skin either blackened or white. It can cause numbness in some areas around the burn. Even a minor burn can be very painful. First-degree burns anywhere on the body are minor burns. Second-degree burns that are less than two to three inches wide are also considered minor burns. Major burns include second-degree burns that are more than 2 to 3 inches wide or second-degree burns on the buttocks, hands, face, feet, groin, or over a major joint, or third-degree burns anywhere on the body. You could suffer more than one kind of burn at a time. Severe burns require urgent medical attention, which can help prevent deformity, scarring, and disability. Burns suffered on the hands, feet, face, and genitals can be especially serious. Burns can lead to complications, such as infection, and can even result in death. The main injury risk at McDonald’s is suffering a burn injury while working in the kitchen area. You could be scalded by hot water used to make tea and coffee or you could suffer serious burns when hot grease from the deep fryer splashes on your arms, neck, and face. Your hand could come into contact with the grill when frying beef patties, and that could lead to a serious burn that penetrates all skin layers. What To Do If You Are Burned While Working At McDonald’s If you suffer burns while working at McDonald’s, you should establish medical care right away. Usually, there is a list of in-network workers’ compensation insurance providers where you can seek treatment from in your local area. If you don’t see a provider that is in-network, you may end up paying for your care out of pocket. But if you have serious burns, call an ambulance and go to the nearest hospital or burn center. Emergency treatment is covered by McDonald’s workers’ compensation coverage. You should notify your employer of your injury right away. A supervisor, manager, or human resources representative will need to complete an accident report for your workers’ compensation claim. You should also maintain thorough documentation to support your case. Ask any witnesses to provide written statements with specific details about what they saw. Corroborating statements can be helpful to your case. Keep copies of medical bills and medical records. You should also document any missed work and lost wages. You will need a copy of your employer’s accident report as that will be your basis for your workers’ compensation claim against McDonald’s. If an ambulance was called, the police may have responded and completed an incident report. If that is the case, you will want to get a copy of that report as well. There is a limited time, which is called a statute of limitations, for pursuing a workers’ compensation claim against McDonald’s after you suffer burns while on the job. If you miss the deadline and wait too long, you will not be able to recover benefits or get a settlement. There are many ways you could suffer burns while working at McDonald’s. You could be burned using the deep fryer, you could suffer burns from the grill, you could be burned because of an electrical short in a machine such as the soda fountain or ice maker, you could be burned while switching out a light bulb, or you could be scalded from hot water use for coffee, tea, or cooking. Injuries at McDonald’s May Prevent a Return to Work Many different people work in McDonald’s, especially young people looking for their first job or students trying to keep their noses above water financially. Most McDonald’s employees work as cooks in busy kitchens, clean the restaurant, serve customers or all three. The main injury risks at a McDonald’s are burn injuries in the kitchen. The chance of a burn is highest when managers fail to have sufficient staff available and the pressure is high because of customer numbers. Burn injuries vary from superficial to severe. The worst burn injuries are unlikely in a fast food kitchen, but a moderate burn still needs immediate treatment. Treatment and recovery will prevent a swift return to work, which means that a workers’ compensation claim is necessary. How Much Would a Burn Injury Claim be Worth? As burns can be anything from minor to serious, it is important that even in minor cases that you obtain a medical report from a qualified physician. Any claim must demonstrate that the injury happened while at work. Medical costs should include drugs and medications, bandages, doctor’s visits, surgery if any and travel costs associated with treatment. The lost earnings component of a claim depends on the exact length of time away from work. This will be based on a doctor’s recommendation. An approximate guide is given here. If a McDonald’s line cook earning $10 an hour suffers second degree burns and spends a month off work, the claim would be $10 x 40 (assuming a 40 hour normal working week) x 4 x 0.67. The last figure is the percentage of the normal wage that is mandated by state law, although the precise percentage varies from state to state. For this hypothetical example that total claim would be $1,072 plus the medical component. Don’t Forget to Talk to an Attorney If you were burned while working at McDonald’s, you should know that pursuing a workers’ compensation claim against McDonald’s can be a challenging venture. You should consult with a workers’ compensation attorney who handles workplace injury cases in your state. An attorney will understand the process for pursuing a claim and will be familiar with your state workers’ compensation laws. Many workers’ compensation attorneys work on a contingency basis while others charge an hourly fee. Be sure to discuss the payment process when retaining a workers’ compensation attorney. A workers’ comp lawyer will investigate your claim, determine the best way to proceed, and then work to ensure you are treated fairly. Complete the Free Case Evaluation Form on this page so you can determine the best way to proceed with your McDonald’s workers’ compensation claim after suffering burn injuries while on the job. Workers’ compensation benefits can significantly affect your family’s financial situation while you are recovering from burns that you suffered while you were working your shift at McDonald’s. Don’t give up if you feel intimidated about making a workers’ compensation claim. Go and see a workers’ comp. attorney to discuss your legal position. The attorney will work out what your claim is worth and help you process the right documents. *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.
