McDonalds Coffee Lawsuit - Corina
Answer
What was the McDonald's coffee lawsuit about? What were the injuries sustained by Stella Liebeck?
The McDonald's Coffee Lawsuit involved Stella Liebeck, who suffered third-degree burns after spilling hot coffee on herself, leading her to sue McDonald's for serving coffee that was excessively hot. The 79 year old woman purchased coffee in the drive thru as she received the coffee she placed it in between her legs causing the lid on the coffee cup to come off spilling on her causing severe burns. The coffee was so hot that it caused third degree burns around her pelvis region. Because of the coffee spilling while being extremely hot Stella had to be hospitalized for eight days while undergoing skin grafting followed by 2 years of medical treatment.
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When did the McDonald's coffee lawsuit take place?
Although the lawsuit was filed in 1992, the trail didn't occurred until 1994. It was highly publicized in the United States against the McDonald's restaurant chain. Liebeck's attorney argued that at ''180–190 °F (82–88 °C), McDonald's coffee was defective, and more likely to cause serious injury than coffee served at any other establishment.'' They jury argued found that McDonald's was 80% responsible for the incident. Lieback was awarded a net of 160,000 in compensation damages to help cover medical bills and 2.7 million in punitive damages. The settlement was later reduced by the judge and the case was eventually settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.
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Coffee temperature
''According to a 2007 report, McDonald's had not reduced the temperature of its coffee, serving it at 176–194 °F (80–90 °C),relying on more sternly worded warnings on cups made of rigid foam to avoid future injury and liability (though it continues to face lawsuits over hot coffee).However, in 2013, the New York Times reported that McDonald's had lowered its service temperature to 170–180 °F (77–82 °C).[14] The Specialty Coffee Association of America supports improved packaging methods rather than lowering the temperature at which coffee is served. The association has successfully aided the defense of subsequent coffee burn cases.Similarly, as of 2004, Starbucks sells coffee at 175–185 °F (79–85 °C), and the executive director of the Specialty Coffee Association of America reported that the standard serving temperature is 160–185 °F (71–85 °C).''
What was McDonald's response to the lawsuit?
McDonald's argued that customers were aware that coffee was hot and that Liebeck was responsible for her own actions. They also pointed out that they had served coffee at that temperature for years without incidents. McDonald's denied liability for the incident arguing that Liebeck was responsible for her own actions. The company then pointed out that they had warnings on their coffee cups indicating that the beverage was hot.
What were the implications of the case?
The case brought significant media attention and it sparked discussions about tort reform, the legal system, and consumer safety. It is often cited as an example of perceived frivolous lawsuits, although many legal experts argue that it highlighted important issues regarding corporate responsibility and product safety.The case remains a landmark in tort law and is frequently referenced in discussions about personal injuries, lawsuits, legal system, and consumer rights.
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Reference:
Cain, Kevin G. ''The McDonald's Coffee Lawsuit.'' Journal of Consumer & Commercial Law JCCL_V11N1_Fall07.indd
California Applicants' Attorneys Association.'' Facts About the California Workers' Compensation System.'' California Application, n.d.,https://www.caoc.org/?pg=facts
Coffee Controversy: McDonald's Shocking lawsuit, Executive Media HQ:https://youtube.com/shorts/ociT15wDLFw?si=2XQxqWeSl3Zdnde_
Intelligencer Journal, August 19,1994, Page3 via Newspaper.com: https://www.newspapers.com/article/intelligencer-journal-stella-liebeck-mcd/89297319/
''Legal Myths: The McDonald's Hot Coffee Case.'' Public Citizen, 2023, https://www.citizen.org/article/legal-myths-the-mcdonalds-hot-coffee-case/
''Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants,'' Wikipedia, Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants - Wikipedia
Smith,John.''McDonald's Hot Coffee Case: 30 Years Later, Revisiting the Original Nuclear Verdict.'' Tyson &Mendes, 1 Oct.2023: https://www.tysonmendes.com/mcdonalds-hot-coffee-case-30-years-later-revisiting-the-original-nuclear-verdict/
''The Real Story Behind McDonald’s Infamous Hot Coffee Case: What You Need to Know.'' Engine,n.d., https://www.enjuris.com/blog/resources/mcdonalds-hot-coffee-lawsuit/
Media
- I went ahead and just added a video from youtube that talks a little about the McDonald's coffee lawsuit this topic didn't have a lot of infromation I feel like i covered most of it already and there wasn't much more to add. Video credit to youtube retro report