5 Key Points of the McDonald’s Hot Coffee Lawsuit
I’ve written previously about the McDonald’s Hot Coffee Case in a past blog titled: Serious Burn Injury – The Myth of the McDonald’s Hot Coffee Case. This was a Personal Injury case that occurred in 1992 where Stella Liebeck, 79, was SEVERELY burned by a cup of coffee purchased from a McDonalds in Albuquerque, New Mexico. There were several untruths spread by the insurance industry about this case. The majority of the deceit concerned how the injury actually occurred and whether or not McDonald’s had any culpability. The jury’s verdict proved that to be true.
Like any legitimate personal injury case, if someone is injured as a result of the negligence of others, they should never settle for less than they deserve. I would like to share with you today, the 5 key points to remember about the McDonalds Hot Coffee Case whenever you hear someone saying that Stella Liebeck got more than she deserved for her injuries:
- The Car Was Stopped. I hear it all the time that the car was moving and that is the reason why the coffee spilled. That is completely untrue. The car was parked in a parking lot.
- The Coffee was TOO hot. Coffee Maker manufactures normally recommend that coffee be heated to 130 to 140 Degrees. The testimony at Stella’s trial revealed that the coffee was heated to temperatures between 180 and 190 degrees. Liquids at that temperature can cause 3rd degree burns to skin in 2 to 7 seconds.
- Stella Suffered Serious Injuries. I have seen pictures of her 3rd degree burns, trust me, the burns are horrendous. The burns affected her genital and groin area, thighs, perineum and buttocks. In fact the burns affected over 16% of her body.
- Stella was Hospitalized for 8 Days. She went through multiple skin-graphing surgeries.
- McDonalds was aware that the coffee they were serving was too hot. Before Stella’s case, there were 700 other burn cases that McDonalds was aware.
So the next time someone brings up, “That ridiculous McDonalds Hot Coffee Lawsuit”, remember these facts. No one deserves to go through any type of injury as a result of someone else’s negligence. McDonalds was found liable for serving a product that was heated to the point that it was exceptionally dangerous to consumers. McDonalds was making so much money from worldwide coffee sales that they chose to ignore the burn cases. In fact, they chose to ignore over 700 known burn cases and continued heating the coffee to excessive temperatures.
If you, a family member, or anyone else you know has suffered from a serious injury, we urge you to call us today for a free consultation at 888-We-Mean-It (888-936-3264). We welcome the opportunity to help.
