Visitor Question

Damaged a fast food drive thru…

Submitted By: Michael (Florida, USA)

I was going through a fast food drive through lane in a company work vehicle. After paying as I was driving off when the top of my truck slightly damaged the building overhang, there was very little damage. I pulled over and the manager came out and was extremely abusive, but I kept my cool.

He threatened to call my boss and police, both of which I thought would be the right thing to do, but he never did. He also never took any insurance info or the tag of my vehicle, only taking a cell phone pic of my driver’s license and telling me go to home depot to get some paint and fix it. I am not qualified to do any repair like that, should I just forget about it? What can I do here?

Disclaimer: Our response is not formal legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. It is generic legal information based on the very limited information provided. Do not rely upon the information in our response, or anywhere else on this site, when deciding the proper course of a legal matter. Always get a personalized case review from a local attorney.

Answer

Dear Michael,

Do the right thing! Tell your boss exactly what happened, and do so immediately. Hoping the event will just go away is wishful thinking. Your boss will contact her insurance company, and in turn the insurance company will contact the fast food business owner. That’s how business works.

You should not go to home depot to purchase materials and then return to the restaurant to effect repairs. Whether you are qualified to repair the damage you did is irrelevant. You have no business literally, or figuratively returning to the restaurant for any reason other than to eat.

In the interim, if you are contacted by the restaurant manager or one of his superiors refer them to your boss. Otherwise any statements you make can be held against you; not criminally, but civilly. Your statements might be what are referred to as “admissions against interest.” They can be used against your employer in insurance negotiations or at trial.

Learn more here: Car Accident Claim Guide

The above is general information. Laws change frequently, and across jurisdictions. You should get a personalized case evaluation from a licensed attorney.

Find a local attorney to give you a free case review here, or call 888-972-0892.

We wish you the best with your claim,

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