Sonic Drive-In is one of the nation's most popular drive-in fast food restaurants. They offer a unique dining experience and a variety of food and soda creations making it a great place to dine and work. If you work at Sonic Drive-In and get hurt, how would you support yourself or your family? For many Sonic Drive-In employees, an on the job injury could mean no income. Help for Injured Employees Each state has a law that requires most employees to be covered by a workers' compensation policy through their employer. Workers' compensation is a safety net to protect you if you get hurt while working. If you are injured, you should consider filing a workers' compensation claim. It can help you cover medical expenses you incur because of the injury. If an employee is injured while on the job and left unable to work, workers' compensation may provide a portion of the employee's wages. Company Profile: Sonic Drive-In Sonic Drive-In is headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Sonic Drive-In is legally incorporated as Sonic Corporation.There are 3,526 drive-in locations throughout the United States. They have more than 10,500 employees. Unique Risks for Sonic Drive-In Employees Employees that work for Sonic Drive-In face the same risks each day performing their job duties. Whether it is the risk of being hit by a vehicle, falling while roller skating, or burns from cooking, all employees face an equal risk. Common causes of injury for Sonic Drive-In employees include, but are not limited to: Struck by a car - Car Hops face the risk of being hit by a moving vehicle. If a customer is distracted as they leave the drive-thru or backing out of a stall, a Car Hop is at risk of being hit. This can cause injuries to the head, back, or even break bones at low impact speeds. Slip and Fall – Spilled liquids, cooking oil, or simply roller skating to deliver orders can create a hazard that can hurt people. A slip or fall may seem minor, but they can result in closed head injuries, slipped disks, or broken bones. Burns – Working with hot griddles or heated oil can result in severe burns. The majority of people hospitalized for workplace scalds or contact burns are involved with food preparation. Deep frying oil can reach temperatures of 300°F to 500°F, making this task a potential high risk for severe burn injuries. Hurt During Your Shift? If you are hurt during your shift, consider filing a workers’ compensation claim. Do not wait until the end of your scheduled shift to report the accident. Delaying and continuing to work can cause your injury to become worse. Some injuries may seem minor, but only a medical professional can determine the severity of an injury. If you hit your head, severely burn yourself, are hit by a car, or suffer from a deep cut, seek emergency medical care. Ask your Manager how you can file a workers’ compensation claim. This will involve filling out an accident report – a very important step in filing a claim. If you call 911 for a medical emergency, a responding officer will provide you with a police report number and details on how to get a copy of the police report. Ask your Manager or Human Resources representative for the names of approved doctors that can treat your injury at no charge. If you choose to see your own doctor, you may have out of pocket expenses. If you keep your receipts, you may be reimbursed for your expenses. How Much Could I Settle My Claim For? After an accident, you may wonder if a workers' comp settlement would be able to cover the cost of your medical bills and lost wages. While they generally do, you may want to take a look at our page about the value of a Sonic workers' comp claim: What's My Sonic Workers' Comp Case Worth? How to File a Claim Against Sonic If you work at a Sonic Drive-In and are injured, you will be hoping that you can get compensation for your workplace injury. As long as you follow the correct procedure for a workers’ compensation claim and stay within the time limits, you have a good chance of obtaining compensation for medical treatment and lost wages while you are not working. Most common injuries at Sonic are burns in the kitchen and slips or trips and falls while working anywhere in the Drive-In area, especially if you work as a carhop. Carhops have a higher potential injury risk because they take orders from customers and bringing food and drinks to cars on rollerblades or skateboards. Whatever the nature of the accident and injury you should at least make sure the Drive-In manager knows about the injury. Injuries at work must be reported and recorded officially within a particular time period. This time limit could be as little as a week, but may be more. It depends on the state in which you work. Sonic’s insurer may insist that you see a company doctor to get an assessment of your injury. You may need to use a preferred medical provider, e.g. a hospital if further treatment is necessary. Some insurers allow you to choose your own medical providers or at least use your own after an initial assessment. After you have received treatment, you should talk to a workers’ compensation attorney about filing a WC claim. You may need to wait until you are advised to return to work so that all your documentation is complete. The state you work in will have rules about how long you have to submit a claim and who you submit the claim to. It is usually the employer’s insurer, but sometimes the claim goes directly to the state WC Board. Gathering Evidence for a Sonic Workers’ Compensation Claim The most important evidence you should have is proof that you were injured at work. In other words, the injury you are claiming for must have happened while you were working at a Sonic Drive-In. Evidence that you were at work when the injury happened can come from the official record made by the Sonic manager after the actual accident as well as statements made by fellow workers at Sonic. Someone at work is sure to have seen you and probably helped you after your injury. This is most likely to be others who worked at the Drive-In, like carhops or kitchen workers, but it might also be a Sonic customer. It’s a good idea if you can at the time you are injured to ask anyone who saw the accident to provide contact details. You can ask them to make a statement later that helps to support the claim you will want to file. The insurer will also want evidence that the injury you are claiming for was genuine. This is best shown by providing a doctor’s report an anything that is provided by a hospital or other medical facility that was involved in treating your injury. Documents the insurer will want you to provide include: Doctor’s report; Receipts for doctor’s visits; Receipts for hospital treatment, including medication, tests and scans and surgery; Estimated costs of future medical treatment; Estimated future loss of earnings.; What are My Legal Rights After a Work Accident? If you are having trouble getting workers’ compensation benefits or want to learn more about your rights under workers’ compensation law, consider talking to an experienced lawyer. A consultation with an attorney can answer any questions that you have and determine if you would benefit from representation. *The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Sonic Corporation, you may not be entitled to any compensation. Helpful Resources Workers’ Compensation in the Fast Food Industry Fast Food Prep and Workers' Compensation Cooks and Workers' Compensation
