McDonald's Faces Premises-Liability Lawsuit Over Customer Personal Injury Claim

A personal injury lawsuit filed in Philadelphia County names McDonald's Corporation, its U.S. subsidiary, and two franchise operators as defendants in a premises-liability claim brought by a customer.

Shania Long filed the suit on March 17, 2026, targeting a chain of entities that reflects the layered ownership structure common across the McDonald's system. Named defendants include McDonald's Corporation, McDonald's Restaurant, McDonald's USA LLC, Dawkins Management Group LLC, and Jo-dan Madalisse Ltd., LLC, along with unnamed John Doe defendants. The inclusion of both corporate entities and two separate franchise-linked operators suggests the claim involves a location where responsibility for maintaining safe premises may be contested across multiple parties.

Premises-liability cases against quick-service restaurant chains frequently turn on which entity, corporate or franchisee, controlled the physical conditions at the time of an alleged injury. McDonald's has long maintained in litigation that franchisees bear operational responsibility for their locations, a position that has been tested in courts across the country. The presence of Dawkins Management Group LLC and Jo-dan Madalisse Ltd., LLC alongside corporate defendants indicates Long's legal team is casting a wide net to capture every party with potential control over the site.

The case is in its early stages, with no ruling or response from defendants yet on record. The specific circumstances of Long's injury, the location of the incident, and the nature of the alleged negligence were not detailed in the filing information available. Philadelphia County's Court of Common Pleas handles civil premises-liability claims of this type.

The outcome could hinge on the franchise agreement terms governing which party held responsibility for the physical conditions Long alleges caused her injury.