Jimmy John’s sandwiches have found a place in the hearts (and stomachs) of eaters all around the country. What makes the chain’s food so desirable? For many, it might be the taste of the bread and the meats piled-high. For many, the so-called “freaky fast” delivery is as tempting as the taste of the subs themselves.
However, a new wrongful death lawsuit against the franchise claims that the speedy delivery that the business not only promises but highlights in its marketing has taken a life. Last summer, a pedestrian accident involving a Jimmy John’s driver ended fatally for a man walking his dog.
Witnesses who claim to have seen the traffic accident noted the delivery driver was driving at a high rate of speed. Exactly at what speed he was driving and what the speed limit of the area was are not disclosed at the time. Of course, that information will likely be important to the wrongful death case in order to determine whether the driver was negligent.
What could one driver’s possible negligence in relation to this pedestrian accident mean to the entire franchise as a whole? It is a big question, one that is important to the future marketing and work processes of the sandwich-maker. The court in this case might help determine and guide the company in answering whether a “freaky fast” delivery focus encourages driver negligence among workers.
Not even a paycheck is an excuse for a driver to neglect speed limits or other traffic laws. Someone not only got hurt in this case; he was killed. Going forward, if the focus on speed continues, it isn’t just other motorists and pedestrians that could be in danger, but the delivery drivers, too.
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “Jimmy John’s sued in pedestrian’s death,” Richard Webnar, Feb. 5, 2014