Dale Johnson Sues Pizza Hut Franchisee, Alleging Negligent Hiring and Retention

Dale Johnson filed a personal-injury lawsuit on March 3, 2026 in a Texas district court accusing local Pizza Hut operators of negligent hiring and retention that led to injury and damages. The complaint names two defendants: Jimmy R. Burkett and RMC Holdings, Inc., doing business as Pizza Hut, the suit states.

The filing frames the case as a negligent-hiring and negligent-retention action within a broader personal-injury claim, asserting that the injury or damages Johnson suffered are connected to the franchisee’s hiring or retention practices. The complaint does not attach a dollar figure for damages in the public summary, but it places blame squarely on the staffing decisions of the Pizza Hut franchise identified as RMC Holdings.

Defendant Jimmy R. Burkett is listed individually alongside RMC Holdings, Inc., which the complaint describes as the local franchise operator using the Pizza Hut trade name. The suit therefore targets the franchise-level business entity and an individual associated with that operator rather than naming the Pizza Hut corporate system as a defendant.

Procedurally, the case was filed March 3, 2026 and remains pending in the Texas district court as of March 9, 2026. The complaint proceeds under Texas personal-injury theories tied to employer responsibility for hiring and retaining staff whose conduct allegedly caused harm, setting up a discovery phase that will focus on hiring records, retention decisions, training and supervision at the RMC Holdings-operated Pizza Hut location.

For Pizza Hut franchise employees and managers, the complaint spotlights liability risks for franchise operators named as doing business as Pizza Hut. By listing both an individual, Jimmy R. Burkett, and RMC Holdings, Inc., the plaintiff is signaling a factual inquiry into who made hiring and retention decisions and what those records show about background checks, prior incidents or supervision at the franchise.

The case will proceed through the Texas district court system; next steps such as responses, discovery schedules or motions were not disclosed in the filing summary. As of March 9, 2026, the suit remains active against Burkett and RMC Holdings, and it will require the franchise defendants to address the negligent-hiring and retention allegations in court.