WAUCONDA, Ill. (August 19, 2022) – A woman who was physically assaulted by an employee of a Wauconda Little Caesars Pizza has received a $325,000 settlement from the restaurant’s insurer.
On September 16, 2021, a 44-year-old Round Lake woman went to the Little Caesars located at 618 W. Liberty Street in Wauconda to pick up a pizza she had ordered online. When she arrived, the woman witnessed an employee, Lea Upchurch, arguing with another customer about their order. Ms. Upchurch allegedly became aggressive with the customers. Ms. Upchurch claims she was agitated by her co-workers who were socializing outside the restaurant, leaving her to tend to customers inside the busy restaurant alone.
After some time, a verbal altercation ensued between the Round Lake woman and Ms. Upchurch. After the verbal confrontation, Ms. Upchurch knocked the woman to the ground, rendering her unconscious. Surveillance video of the altercation shows two men pulling Ms. Upchurch away from the woman as she continues to physically attack her.
Ms. Upchurch then left the restaurant in her vehicle, striking another customer’s vehicle in the parking lot as she fled the scene. She was subsequently located and charged with battery and leaving the scene of a property damage accident. She was later released from custody on bond.
As a result of the attack, the Round Lake woman suffered a herniated disc, neck strain, and emotional distress.
This week, the parties settled the claim pre-suit for $325,000. The settlement will be paid by Little Cesar’s insurer, Chubb Insurance. The Plaintiff was represented by attorney Jaclyn J. Kurth of the Lake County law firm Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard.
“Restaurants have a responsibility to hire employees who will do their job effectively and cause no harm to patrons. It is clear Ms. Upchurch was not properly trained to deal with stressful situations in a logical manner,” Plaintiff’s attorney Jaclyn J. Kurth stated. “We are pleased that our client secured the means necessary to pay the medical bills she incurred from this incident and to continue to seek treatment for the emotional trauma she endured.”
For more information, please contact Marcie Mangan at (312) 372-1227 or mmangan@salvilaw.com.
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