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Sonic Worker Injured During Robbery Denied Benefits Claim


Michael Lartique Wayne Sonic worker broken legBy Susanna Kim

An employee of a Sonic drive-in restaurant in the Houston area claims he was denied health coverage for a broken leg he received when the restaurant was robbed. Michael Lartique Wayne Jr., 25, worked for Sonic for 2½ years when the restaurant in Humble, Texas, was robbed by two men last month.

Lartique Wayne said that one of the robbers pulled his leg through a door to keep him from moving to protect a co-worker. "The next thing I know my leg was just swelling," Lartique told ABC affiliate KTRK in Houston.

The robbers got away with $200 in cash and left him with a broken femur, which may need surgery. The problem is Lartique Wayne doesn't have health insurance and Sonic has opted out of the state's workers comp plan, KTRK reported.

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Through Sonic's workers comp plan, Lartique Wayne's claim was denied because he failed a mandatory drug screen. He said that he smoked marijuana a few days before the robbery, and that showed up in a mandated drug test after the robbery took place. He said he wasn't under the influence when the robbery took place and he had nothing to do with it.

Sonic said that the company has been trying to reach him, but he has not returned calls. Lartique Wayne said that he hasn't heard from the company since the week after the robbery, and his mother may have spoken with an attorney.

"While not possible under the plan, our franchisee, because they care about their employees, is open to paying medical bills for Michael," said Patrick Lenow, vice president over public relations at Sonic, in a statement. "Repeated calls to speak with Michael, to assist in the investigation, have not been returned. Michael has retained an attorney and this may be why he has not communicated with the franchisee. We continue to have hope that this can be resolved."

In the meantime, Lartique Wayne is stuck in a cast and he doesn't have an income. He said that he can't put pressure on his leg, which still causes him pain. "I'm trying to get my leg working to look for a better job," he said.

When asked what kind of job he was looking for, he said "something that's not fast food."




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37 Comments

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jjhd98

Fast Food and Convenience Stores/Business's are not well known for pay and benefits packages of any sort, but "we" thousands of citizens, daily, use these "Places" and purchase their goods, when's the last time anyone had the courtesy to tell and employee(s) sincerely "Thank You Very Much for Your Service and Working There?" How many even think about helping them out what they are over-whelmed with rush hour crowds, by picking up or cleaning up around the drink or coffee counters, dropped napkins and straws all over the floor etc.? The percentage is so pathetically few, its sickening. It's the; "oh, that's not my job," I'm too busy(caught up in my own self-absorbed interest)," "if they don't ljke it, they should find a different job(imagine if each and everyone of those people quit today, the nation would be near crippled)," etc. Some Serious "Food- For-Thought" People. Pitch-in, Help Out, Act Like a Nation of People Whom Once Had: I N T E G R I T Y. It's "we" the people whom are "our' Brothers and Sisters Keepers. Put your shopping carts in the rack too. This disabled vet, does all he can to help these folks out and leave tips when possible too.

March 01 2013 at 11:14 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
mhwyman7

Obviously there benefits are as good as there food.

March 01 2013 at 9:36 PM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
mhwyman7

No good deed goes unpunished.

March 01 2013 at 9:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ava

idiotic workmans comp applies to everyone check your facts.

March 01 2013 at 8:07 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
taz783

They are legally obligated to pay him benifits and medical bills no matter what even if the injured worker´s negligence caused the injury look below shows part of the TEXAS Workers´ Compensation Law

March 01 2013 at 7:08 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
taz783

Workers´ Compensation Basics
The Texas workers´ compensation system is the method by which covered workers are compensated for work-related injuries or illnesses. An employer´s insurance company or certified self-insurance plan pays scheduled benefits for work-related injuries, even if the injured worker´s negligence contributed to the accident. Texas law does not require workers´ compensation. However, your customers may require you to carry it.

March 01 2013 at 7:06 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ashumate3

You smoke the weed you pay the consequences. If you think it’s bad for him, try being a train engineer or any of the train crew if rail car jumps the track or a rail bridge collapses. The entire crew has to do a piss test. If you cause a tractor/trailer to wreck due to actions of you in your car the driver of the tractor/trailer has to do a drug test even though the accident wasn’t his fault.

March 01 2013 at 5:22 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
AL-Concetta

Talk about CHEAP" Wel Sonic will never see my business again.

March 01 2013 at 4:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jay917

The problem is Lartique Wayne doesn't have health insurance and Sonic has opted out of the state's workers comp plan, KTRK reported.
OPTED OUT?? HOW is that legal?? And POT didn't make him put his leg in that position..the robbers did..

March 01 2013 at 4:04 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
dneil55859

Fast food and convience stores are the modern equivelent of the coal mines of my grandfather's time. The work conditions are bad, the companies and bosses are terrible and the working conditions can be very dangerous

March 01 2013 at 3:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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