Cracker Barrel Ordered to Pay Man $4.3 Million After Serving Him Sanitizer Instead of Water
Cracker Barrel has been ordered to pay a man $4.3 million after he was served sanitizer instead of water at a Tennessee location in 2014.
William Cronnon was having lunch at a Cracker Barrel in Marion County in April 2014 when he took a sip of what he believed to be water. He immediately realized it was not ice water but some chemical that caused a burning sensation in his mouth and esophagus.
It was later discovered that Cronnon was served the chemical Eco-San, which the restaurant used in the kitchen as a cleaner.
Eco-San is described as a corrosive chemical, and it caused permanent and serious physical injury to Cronnon. And sadly, Cronnon is still suffering from symptoms, including injuries to his mouth and esophagus.
"He has a lifetime of healthcare needs facing him in the future," attorney Thomas Greer said.
The legal battle between Cronnon and Cracker Barrel has been long and arduous.
"Instead of taking personal responsibility and personal accountability for their conduct, they abused the court system by denying that they did anything wrong," Greer said.
The lawsuit awarded Cronnon $4.3 million to help with the damage that he continues to fight with his throat and lungs. Unfortunately, due to laws in Tennessee, he will not receive close to that amount.
Lawmakers in that state created a cap back in 2011 on non-economic damages in lawsuits. As a result, it limits Cronnon to $750,000 in damages.
"He worked for three years after this. He's a hard worker. He tried to maintain his job, but he had to retire early," Greer added.
Cracker Barrel was asked if they made any changes after the incident and they released the following statement: "Our policy has been and continues to be to never put chemicals in any unmarked containers."
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