Source: South Florida Injury Law Blog

John Mario, a Port St. Lucie, Florida man who suffered a traumatic brain injury after being shot in the head during a robbery in the parking lot of a McDonald’s restaurant in Jensen Beach, is suing the fast food company for personal injury. He filed his lawsuit last week in Marion County Circuit Court.

Mario alleges that McDonald’s failed to provide adequate security to restaurant patrons. He was eating in his truck in the parking lot on January 6, 2006 when Quentin Alexander Bradley, 19, tried to rob him. The Fort Pierce resident was armed.

Police reports indicate that the two men struggled and the gun went off. Mario sustained a serious traumatic brain injury. He can no longer work and his motor and speech skills are impaired.

Mario and his wife are demanding damages because they allege that McDonalds knew that their restaurant was located in a high crime area and should have done more to ensure that patrons were protected while on the premise.

Bradley was convicted to life in prison after pleading no contest to attempted murder, and burglary, and robbery charges.


Source: TC Palm

A Port St. Lucie man shot in the head during a robbery in a Jensen Beach McDonald’s parking lot is suing the fast food restaurant chain, according to a lawsuit.

McDonald’s failed to provide John Mario and other restaurant patrons with adequate security at its 3546 N.W. U.S. 1 restaurant, according to the lawsuit filed Monday in Martin County Circuit Court.

On Jan. 6, 2006, Mario was sitting in his truck in the McDonald’s parking lot, eating food he purchased at the restaurant, when 19-year-old Fort Pierce resident Quentin Alexander Bradley tried to rob him at gunpoint.

During the ensuing struggle, the truck rolled into traffic and Bradley’s handgun went off, striking Mario in the back of the head, according to law enforcement reports.

Mario survived the gunshot, but he suffered a severe brain injury that affects his speech and motor coordination, and keeps him from returning to work.

Bradley pleaded no contest to attempted murder, attempted robbery and burglary charges, and a judge sentenced him in December 2006 to life in prison.

In their lawsuit, Mario, 59, and his wife, Grace Mario, claim McDonald’s management knew about a “high crime” rate in the area and should have anticipated patrons like Mario could be harmed.

The Marios are seeking a jury trial and more than $15,000 in damages, according to the lawsuit.

The Marios’ attorney for the lawsuit, Michael Haggard of Coral Gables, also is representing the couple in pending litigation involving Progressive Auto Insurance. According to Progressive’s lawsuit, the company is not responsible for covering injuries related to the robbery because the injuries had nothing to do with the ownership or maintenance of John Mario’s vehicle.