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NYC McDonald’s sued by man who claims burger nearly killed him after anaphylaxis reaction
Olsen suffered an anaphylaxis reaction after he took a bite out of the burger, a lawsuit filed in state Supreme Court claimed
A McDonald’s customer from Rockland County has claimed he almost died after eating a Big Mac that contained cheese. Charles Olsen has a severe milk allergy. He had suing a New York City McDonald’s.
Olsen suffered an anaphylaxis reaction after he took a bite out of the burger in February 2021, a lawsuit filed in state Supreme Court last week revealed. The 28-year-old said he ordered the food over DoorDash, clearly requesting “NO American cheese” be used, a screenshot of the order attached to the lawsuit revealed.
The burger arrived from the McDonald’s located at 335 Eighth Avenue. Soon after taking a few bites, Olsen “immediately felt like something wasn’t right,” the lawsuit alleged.
“His throat began to itch and swell,” the suit claimed. “He felt a burning sensation throughout his body. He looked at his girlfriend, Alexandra, and coughed ‘there’s milk in this!”
Olsen’s body was covered in hives and he struggled to breathe. His girlfriend took him to the hospital, where he was admitted for anaphylaxis. The lawsuit stated that he almost needed intubation to survive. It took hours for doctors to stabilise him.
“I’ve had to go through my entire life having to tiptoe around menus, dealing with staff that doesn’t know how to handle food allergies, and so on,” Olsen Said through his lawyers, according to New York Post.
“Allergies should be such a simple thing to be able to cater to as an establishment. There’s no reason why it can’t be clearly listed, options aren’t included when making an order to indicate allergies, and the staff properly trained to handle such a simple thing,” continued.
He added, “There has been progress made thankfully, but it is not enough. No one should have to fear for their health when they’re just trying to eat a meal.”
A statement from the owner of the McDonald’s franchise says, “Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers. We take every complaint seriously and are actively reviewing these claims.”
