The story of a money-seeking customer suing a big company for big bucks. The rest is history. Well, it turns out that between the years of 1982-1992, McDonald’s coffee had burned more than 700 people from adults to infants, according to claims that had been filed. After purchasing a cup of coffee, as the car stopped, Liebeck tried to hold the cup securely between her knees while removing the lid. In fact, I bet that everything you thought you knew about the McDonald's Hot Coffee Case was wrong. McDonald’s finally admitted that its coffee was not “fit for consumption” because of the severe risks. Almost everyone seems to know about it. An elderly woman files a hot coffee lawsuit against McDonald's and wins a $2.7 million jury-awarded jackpot, which changes her life forever. Once corporations gained control of the story, Stella Liebeck became a newly-minted millionaire grandmother, who got an easy payday. transcript. The McDonald’s Hot Coffee Case It is the case that gave rise to the attacks on “frivolous lawsuits” in the United States. The McDonald's coffee spill case will probably never sit in law textbooks beside Pakgraffot International Shoe, but the facts of the case should be better known. A month after the trial, the judge reduced the jury’s punitive damages award to $640,000. The shocking part of this ordeal is that McDonald’s had admitted to knowing about the risk of serious burns from its coffee for more than 10 years! Start down the road to recovery by contacting us for a free initial consultation and case evaluation. In reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth. According to the lawsuit, the coffee served to the 79-year-old Liebeck was as hot as 180 to 190 degrees—for reference, the optimal drinking temperature for hot beverages is around 140-150 degrees. Coffee case still resonates. The sad part about all this is that poor Liebeck wasn’t even trying to sue for millions of dollars but instead wanted only to be compensated for her medical bills. Watch: The Real Story Behind That McDonald’s Hot Coffee Lawsuit. A documentary was even produced depicting the incident (called Hot Coffee). The excessive heat was part of a McDonald’s promotion where they promised commuters that their coffee would still be hot by the time it got to their desks.Liebeck was with her grandson (who was driving) when she received the coffee from the drive-thru window. Here's what really happened: On the morning of February 27, 1992, 79-year-old Stella Liebeck was riding in the car with her grandson Chris. Serving the U.S. and Texas with offices in South Texas including, © 2020 Herrman & Herrman - All rights reserved, Spring Break in McAllen and Rio Grande Valley: Tourism Information You Need ». Imagine it: some women drops coffee on herself and sues McDonalds. To enable Verizon Media and our partners to process your personal data select 'I agree', or select 'Manage settings' for more information and to manage your choices. McDonald’s coffee: In the Jan. 10 Business section, an article about a woman suing McDonald’s over burns from a spilled cup of hot coffee said that the injury occurred Jan. 12, 2012. I'm sure the reader has spilled a cup of lukewarm coffee all over his shirt or her blouse. You may remember this case as the woman who spilled McDonald’s coffee, sued, and got millions of dollars out of it. One of the most successful campaigns in the history of misinformation about tort law was the infamous McDonalds hot coffee lawsuit. McDonalds Lawsuit | McDonalds Hot Coffee Lawsuit Happened to meet a pair of Texas transplants familiar with a Houston attorney who had handled a 1986 hot–coffee lawsuit against McDonald's. But nothing could be further from the truth. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), third Degree burns destroy both the epidermis and the dermis to where the skin cannot regenerate. In reality, Stella Liebeck wasn’t looking for a major payday; she was looking for a fair settlement. Yet, what actually happened? Chances are, they've heard of it; but the true facts of the case remain a mystery to many people, particularly those who ridicule the plaintiff as someone who took advantage of the legal system for financial gain. If you have been injured due to the negligence of another, contact Herrman & Herrman to speak with an experienced attorney. That’s quicker than the amount of time it took you to read this sentence. Holding major companies accountable for their negligence is extremely important for the safety of everyone. Other than perhaps some mild discomfort, nothing was hurt except the shirt. For consumers, much has changed since the uproar over the case. You may be familiar with — and even outraged by — the famous lawsuit against McDonald’s by Stella Liebeck who was burned by hot coffee. According to Liebeck’s attorney, S. Reed Morgan, McDonald’s was serving their coffee at 180 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit! More than 15 years after making international news, the case continues to … But firstly, it’s not. When the case went to trial, the jurors saw graphic photos of Liebeck’s burns. One of the most famous lawsuits in recent history is the case of Liebeck v. McDonald’s. It was found that other fast food restaurants sold their coffee at significantly lower temperatures. What had actually happened was far different than what news outlets and late night TV hosts were saying. And there’s a good chance everything you know about it is wrong. Or do they? When representing injured Texas residents, we fight for justice against wrongdoing and aggressively pursue the best resolution to complex personal injury claims. She offered to settle for $20,000, however, McDonald’s refused to settle and offered a mere $800. McDonald's Restaurants, here you go. McDonald's Hot Coffee Lawsuit. Actually, Mrs. Stella Liebeck, a 79-year-old woman, had gone to a McDonald’s with her grandson, who was driving. A normal woman in a small town drives up to a McDonalds and orders a cup of coffee. Was hospitalized for a total of eight days, had whirlpool treatment for debridement of her wounds, skin grafting, scarring, and was disabled for more than two years! The so called "McDonalds coffee case" has been called by many the most frivolous lawsuit they had ever heard. It can even cause severe burns at 130 degrees. However, that is the story mass media wanted you to hear. Everyone admitted hot coffee is unsafe to drink at 180 to 190 degrees, and it will cause burns to the throat if swallowed within the first few minutes. Find out more about how we use your information in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. Selena Edwards, 38, … Fact: McDonald’s didn’t just serve their coffee hot– their operations manual required that is be served between 180 and 190 degrees; 30-40 degrees hotter than other coffee-serving restaurants in the area. The majority of our certified coffee purchases are from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms, including 100% of our espresso in the US and Canada, and all of our coffee in Australia and New Zealand. Everyone knows the case of the woman who sued McDonald's over spilled coffee. Although third-degree burns are often painless, the pain comes from the first and second-degree burns that surround the third-degree burns. It’s always encouraged to know the facts before buying into misrepresented and sensationalized stories. If spilled, coffee at this temperature will cause third-degree burns within two to seven seconds. McDonalds' Hot Coffee Case - Read the Facts NOT the Fiction. Liebeck suffered third degree burns to her pelvic region. In 1992, as Vox explains, 79-year-old Stella Liebeck had her grandson take her to McDonald's, where she ordered the now-infamous coffee, and spilled it on her lap. Provided by the Center for Justice & Democracy, New York City . McDonald’s Hot Coffee Lawsuit. McDonald’s Hot Coffee Lawsuit: The Facts. A woman from Surrey, B.C., is suing the McDonald's restaurant chain after she was allegedly burned by a cup of hot coffee that spilled onto her lap at a drive-thru. Seventeen years ago, McDonald's was faced with a lawsuit brought forth by Stella Liebeck, who was scalded by a cup of the chain's coffee that she purchased at a drive-through. This particular product liability issue affected the lives of hundreds, if not thousands of people. The jury’s $2.7 million award has long been a poster child for tort reform (the judge actually reduced her award to $480,000). They heard experts testify about how hot coffee should be and that McDonald’s coffee was 30 to 40 degrees hotter than coffee served by other companies. His name was Our Comment on the McDonald's Hot Coffee Verdict: Any common consumer product which can cause third-degree burns The cup tipped over and as a result spilled scolding (keyword: scolding) hot coffee onto herself. In reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth. How did they know? The skin is burned all the way down to the muscle/fatty tissue layer. When this case was made public, the entire nation almost instantly turned against the elderly lady and her lawsuit, or at least made fun of it. Scalded by Coffee, Then News Media In 1992, Stella Liebeck spilled scalding McDonald’s coffee in her lap and later sued the company, attracting a flood of negative attention. With these high temperatures 3 million who was driving lives of hundreds, if not thousands of.! 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