Grieving? Why Not Sue McDonald’s?
June 23, 2009 by Sean Kelly
Filed under Business
Kid’s fat? Hubby ugly? Upset about global warming? Somalian pirates? The unfair neglect of your favorite American Idol?
Don’t worry. Call any litigation attorney worth his or her salt and he or she will explain to you that while fate seems unpredictable and capricious, it’s really not.
In the end, everything is McDonald’s fault.
The good news is they’ve got lots of money that you can sue them for, and no one will side with them no matter how stupid or self-serving you or your lawsuit are.
Here’s the latest human tragedy that is somehow McDonald’s fault.
According to the St. Petersburg Times, a couple of young drunken guys got into a brawl that turned deadly. The aggressor, 21-year-old Anthony Makowski, died about 4:30 a.m. after starting a fight with Martin Robles-Taylor.
Makowski, a 6-foot-4, 270-pound former high school football player, allegedly charged Robles-Taylor, body-slamming him at least once and battering him on the ground. Robles-Taylor, who had been through basic training in the Army, managed to put Makowski in a choke hold that killed him.
Prosecutors decided a couple of years ago that the video evidence didn’t support criminal charges against Robles-Taylor.
Of course, McDonald’s is clearly to blame for the tragic incident. After all, it took place in their drive-thru lane which, as everyone knows, was built for the expressed purpose of drunken bare-fist brawls at 4 am. Makowski’s parents are suing the McDonald’s franchise owner, as well as the owner of the shopping center, alleging that they should have had a 24-hour security guard there to prevent their drunken son from body-slamming people to the pavement of their drive-thru.
As usual, the Plaintiff’s allege It’s not about the money.
Others in the McDonald’s frivolous lawsuit collection:
Disabled? Why Not Sue McDonald’s
Celebrate BreastFeeding Month! Entrap a McDonald’s Today!
Devo Suing McDonald’s Over Stupid Hat
Grubb-y McDonald’s Franchisee Must Pay $500K, Stop Biting Employees’ Breasts
WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.
image: RonaldMchummer
I find this McDonalds article sickening. I knew the guy that died and he loved McDonalds. Hence why they were there so late… Some drunken prick from the military got hammered one night and tried to show how much he learned from being over there. Its just ironic that it happened in the parking lot. They are sueing them because in the first trial against the guy who did it McDonalds hid the tapes saying some of the security cameras weren’t on that night, but after the trial they somehow surfaced…. And also the one eye witness was somehow “unable to be found” and after the trial ended up in New York. McDonalds hid the evidence and let a killer get away. So F you to whoever wrote this. Get a life and if you were a REAL reporter you would get the facts and write the truth. Imagine if this was one of your closest friends, and some idiot behind a desk said all of those horrible things about him. This is a real person and real friends and family who are grieving over him. You personally make me sick and I pray that no one has to go through this kind of horrible tragedy, only to have heartless people write anything to meet their deadline. Good luck in your life, and I feel sorry for your family.
Joe:
OK. F me.
I’m sorry you lost your friend. We all lost friends when we were at that age to tragic accidents, drunk driving, errors in judgement and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s sad, and scary for a parent. I’ve got kids that same age, one of whom only narrowly escaped death in a tragic accident recently.
It’s senseless and natural to look for someone to blame. But, from what I’ve read, it’s clear that your friend died as a result of his own bad decisions, not by wrongdoing on the part of an uninvolved business owner. The McDonald’s owner didn’t make him drink too much for too long, or to be out at 4 am. The McDonald’s owner didn’t make him tackle the guy (whether he was a jerk or not) instead of walking away like he should have.
In terms of my writing about it, the parents made this into a national news story with their lawsuit against two innocent business owners who really had nothing to do with the events that transpired. Security tapes or no, the drunken fighters were engaged in an illegal act on these business owners’ property. Why should the business owners’ livelihoods and reputations be dragged into this tragedy? They sell burgers and groceries; they’re not a police force.
I’m just voicing my opinion on the lawsuit, not diminishing the tragedy of your friends’ death. And if you read the comments that accompany the Tampa Trib stories, you’ll see that my opinion is mild compared to many.
Joe wrote they are suing McDonalds because they CHOSE to hide all of the evidence against the attacker… Robles-Taylor got away with murder because the only people who had any hard evidence against him, CHOSE to hide it. Look it up.
I’ve read four articles on the trial and there’s no mention of the parents suing because evidence was hidden.
“Wayne and Cathy Makowski, Anthony’s parents, filed a wrongful death suit against Brickman Management Co., the McDonald’s franchisee, and B & B Cash Grocery Stores, the owner of the U.S. 41 shopping center that is home to the restaurant. The lawsuit alleges the businesses failed to provide adequate security to keep their patrons safe — particularly because the 24-hour drive-through catered to night owls.”
It has nothing to do with money. It’s about justice.
Of course it’s about money, Joe. Attorneys work trials like this on contingency. Therefore, they don’t sue unless they think they can collect the damages. Do you think it’s odd that they are suing the McDonald’s franchisee and the owner of the shopping center and not the guy who killed your friend? Because A) he’s got no money, and B) the businesses likely have business insurance that will pay off the damages.
For the parents, it may be a matter of principle but, overall, it’s all about money. Do you really think the insurance companies are going to learn some moral lesson from all this?
I don’t apologize for stating the truth (or my version of it). I do apologize if my post seemed insensitive to family’s grief. And I agree that some of the comments on the Tampa story are despicable and hurtful.
No matter what Robles-Taylor said, Anthony shouldn’t have made it physical. And, Joe, you are making some pretty slanderous comments about a person who was found to be acting in self-defense. You should be careful or you could end up in court next.
My ex-boyfriend was an bully like Makowski always thinking that because he was big he could beat up little guys. Just like Makowski, my Ex got destroyed by a guy half his size one day. Guys like these are punk cowards who always get theirs.
Anthony Makowski was just a punk that “swatted the wrong wasp” that fateful night at Mcdonalds. Robles-Taylor is a noble military man just defending himself. Robles-Taylor had to choice but to take Makowski’s life to save his own. Now the Parents get $$$ in their eyes and sue the Mcdonalds????
Gonna honor my son’s memory.. gonna buy me a Lexus and gonna get one of those “In loving memory” decals at the flea market….Grow up and grieve your son in private.
Stacey:
Do you know these people, or are you throwing insults toward a grieving family you don’t know? If the latter, that’s pretty cold.
I haven’t read anything saying that the victim was a bully. This story supports what Joe was saying about Robles-Taylor being the aggressor, not the other way around: http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/civil/article1011548.ece In fact, that testimony supports that Robles-Taylor was harrassing the victim.
The family is suing for $15,000, and the mother has said she’s setting up a charitable trust if she gets money. They’ll be lucky if they cover their costs. My guess is that only the attorneys will be getting a new Lexus.
Sean! When are you going to stop harassing people? You always run your mouth when you NEVER even know the facts! Maybe one of these days you will meet your match! You say I remind you of the short people song, well you remind me of the DIRTY LAUNDRY song! Kick em when their up, kick em when their down! Sean Kelly “LOVES” dirty laundry! You REALLY need to get a life! And to you Joe…. I feel for you guys and all the McBullshit you had to go through! McDonalds is very vindictive and corrupt! They spend billions to lie and steel! Sure hope karma applies to all these crooked people!
Dawn:
Just when I was starting to think you might have a valid point, you go back to the nonsensical point of view that McDonald’s is to blame in every case, and that the correct response to every tragedy is to sue McDonald’s.
This is a sad story about alcohol, bullying and a late night fight that had a tragic outcome. McDonald’s played no role in what happened, IMHO, and to come to the conclusion that the McDonald’s franchisee and the property owner should be sued is misguided and ludicrous.
When are you going to realize that individuals need to be held responsible for their actions, Dawn? Probably never, because lawyers are not interested in suing those they can’t collect from… only corporations that have insurance. Like McDonald’s.
PS When did I ever say you were like the short people song?
PPS Check the comments on your posts. I have tried to reach you to offer you an interview to share your views, but your mailbox was full.
DAWN:
I checked the reference http://www.bizzia.com/franchisepick/no-shoes-no-hands-no-service-at-mcdonalds/ and, sure enough, I never said you reminded me of the song. I suggested you sue Randy Newman, since he actually made money by ridiculing the handicapped rather than a company that is one of the world’s largest employers of people with disabilities..
If you check both of the posts referencing your lawsuit you will see I have apologized profusely for hurting your feelings and for my sarcastic tone. Perhaps you should move past that and address the central issue:
Why McDonald’s Corp. owes you $4 Million plus expenses and why you don’t hold the individuals who discriminated against you accountable in the least?
If it’s not about the money, please explain.
DAWN:
I checked the reference http://www.bizzia.com/franchisepick/no-shoes-no-hands-no-service-at-mcdonalds/ and, sure enough, I never said you reminded me of the song. You said! Why you dont even remember what you posted! You dont remember your top 10 list? Well I do and its number 9! Then number 10 being Toe Jam! Ya know, it even has my picture on it! http://www.bizzia.com/franchisepick/no-shoes-no-hands-no-service-at-mcdonalds/comment-page-1/#comment-11646 I dont know who you think you are Sean. To me your just a cyber bully picking on people, not knowing the facts, to give yourself some sort of righteousness! I think your life is so boring that you have to tear at others. I dont know why you think that you think you have the right to contact me! I think if you would like to do that you should contact my lawyer! I dont owe you anything! Wait and read the news paper! I just really wish you would quit slandering people! You were not there you dont know! You also said to Joe…. I don’t apologize for stating the truth (or my version of it). Listen to yourself Sean! Do you really think that your version is the truth? You just wont get how messed up your little debating games are! I do and am not the only one Im sure! Your the one that thinks its all about the money anyway and thats why you are who you are! And for the last time Sean……I dont care what you think!
Dawn:
I apologize if I was insensitive and if I hurt your feelings.
When I wrote those posts I was responding to a news story. I admit to going overboard on the callous humor in order to prompt a reaction from readers. If I had known that the person in the news story (you) was going to be reading it I would have written it differently.
So:
1) I have removed the Top 10 list from the post http://www.bizzia.com/franchisepick/no-shoes-no-hands-no-service-at-mcdonalds/.
2) I will rewrite the blog post in the near future to remove any insensitive language or references.
3) I will print, in a separate post, the message you are trying to send to McDonald’s with your lawsuit. That’s what I was trying to contact you to offer. What is it that you want them to understand? What are they doing wrong? What needs to change? What is the effect that their iindifference has on you and other disabled customers?
So please accept my apologies if I was insensitive, as well as my offer to tell your side. If and when you reach a monetary settlement, you will likely never be able to speak about it again. If you are truly interested in sending them a message, I’d like to give you that opportunity.
I simply stated that they are suing McDonalds because they CHOSE to hide all of the evidence against the attacker. It has nothing to do with money. It’s about justice. Robles-Taylor got away with murder because the only people who had any hard evidence against him, CHOSE to hide it. Look it up. Go interview his parents and the people that were there that night. Ask Anthony’s friends if he has EVER been in a fight. That Robles-Taylor kid started the fight, and murdered Anthony. He knew what he was doing. He feels no remorse, he only feels scared that he might go to jail. And he was a prick. I don’t care if he was in the military or not. He said some horrible things and then killed some one. Anthony was an amazing person who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. And his family and friends don’t need to read the nasty things people have to to say about him,especially if they don’t have their facts straight. You Sir, are a sad person, and next time why don’t you pick on some one who can defend themselves.