In a shocking turn of events, a Rockland County man has filed a lawsuit against McDonald’s for adding cheese to his Big Mac, despite his severe milk allergy. Charles Olsen, the plaintiff, claims that this simple mistake nearly cost him his life. Despite the incident, Olsen continues to patronize McDonald’s, albeit with a lack of trust in their ability to follow his order specifics.
The incident occurred in February 2021 when Olsen went into an anaphylaxis reaction after taking a bite of his beloved Big Mac. He was rushed to the hospital, fearing that he might not make it. Since then, Olsen has only ordered plain burgers from McDonald’s, without any toppings. He no longer takes the risk of asking for his order specifics to be followed, as he fears another mishap.
Olsen’s trust in restaurants, in general, has been severely shaken. He admits to avoiding eating out at most establishments, even three years after the incident. He recalls that the fateful night started as a “normal night” with friends, ordering from one of his “go-to places.” When his order arrived, there was no indication that it had been fumbled. However, moments after taking a bite, Olsen’s symptoms rapidly worsened.
The severity of the situation caused Olsen to fear for his life. His throat began to close up, making it difficult to breathe. He and his girlfriend rushed to the hospital in an Uber, as they believed an ambulance would take too long. Luckily, a team of doctors and nurses managed to stabilize him with a cocktail of medications before he needed to be intubated.
The McDonald’s location responsible for the mishap has since closed down. McDonald’s declined to comment on the lawsuit but stated that the owner of the franchise is taking the complaint seriously and reviewing the claims. Olsen’s girlfriend, Alexandra DiBenedetto, described the ordeal as “terrifying” and mentioned how difficult it was to watch someone she loved struggle for their life.
As a result of the incident, Olsen has become cautious when dining out and avoids restaurants that serve a lot of cheese. He primarily visits Asian eateries, as they tend to use less cheese and dairy in their dishes. He hopes that his story raises awareness about the seriousness of food allergies and urges restaurants to improve their training and attentiveness to customer needs.
Olsen’s lawyer, Jory Lange, emphasizes the importance of restaurants listening to their customers, highlighting that food allergies are a matter of life or death. Lange expresses gratitude that Olsen survived the traumatic event, as it could have easily turned into a terrible tragedy.
This lawsuit serves as a reminder that restaurants have a responsibility to ensure the safety of their customers, especially when it comes to accommodating food allergies. It is essential for establishments to take food allergies seriously and prioritize proper training for their employees. While the outcome of this lawsuit remains to be seen, it is clear that the incident has had a lasting impact on Olsen and his trust in McDonald’s and other restaurants.
