*Two Taco Bell customers are suing the fast-food giant after a manager at a Dallas store assaulted them with a bucket of scalding water.
Video of the attack was released Friday by attorneys representing the two Black females who suffered deep and severe burns to large portions of their bodies. The June 17 assault allegedly occurred after they complained about an incomplete order, their lawsuit claims, as reported by NBC News.
Per a news release, renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump and attorney Paul Grinke of McCathern Law have filed a lawsuit on behalf of Brittany Davis and C.T. (a minor) who both suffered severe burns and trauma. Employees became combative with the customers as they attempted to resolve an issue with their $30 order after it had been prepared incorrectly twice in the drive-thru.
A manager came out from behind the counter with a scalding bucket of water and poured it on C.T. and Davis. The manager attempted to go after them with a second bucket of boiling water but the two plaintiffs were able to escape the dining room.
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According to the news release, while en route to the hospital, Davis began to seize due to the trauma, and she would continue to seize as she was careflighted to Parkland’s ICU burn unit in Dallas.
“Our hearts break for these two victims whose lives are forever changed because of the horrific and damaging actions by the Taco Bell manager and the larger entities that failed to protect the safety of their customers,” said Grinke and Crump. “Not only did Brittany and C.T. suffer physical trauma because of the burns, but they will now live with the psychological trauma that comes with an attack like this. Corporations have a duty to employ quality and stable employees who hold safety as the highest priority.”
The lawsuit names Yum! Brands, Taco Bell Corp., Taco Bell of America, Taco Bell #22872, North Texas Bells, and two employees as defendants. Plaintiffs seek relief in excess of $1,000,000 in actual damages, with the final amount to be decided by a jury, per the news release.
The security video (see YouTube clip above), which has no audio, was released by the customers’ legal team.
“Taco Bell management and employees’ actions in these videos are violent, callous, and inexcusable,” Grinke said in a statement Friday. “C.T. and her aunt, Brittany, restaurant employees themselves, calmly ask for the food they paid for with their with hard-earned money. Rather than simply resolve the concern, the Taco Bell employees taunt a 16 year old, and the manager ambushes them with scalding water.”
In a statement Wednesday, Taco Bell declined to comment further on the case, citing pending litigation but noted that: “Everyone deserves to feel safe in Taco Bell restaurants. We take this very seriously and are working with our local franchisee to investigate.”
