The Truth About the Infamous McDonald's Hot Coffee Incident

Summary

The McDonald's 'Hot Coffee' lawsuit, involving Stella Liebeck, is often mischaracterized as a frivolous case. In reality, Liebeck, a 79-year-old woman, suffered third-degree burns after spilling coffee purchased from McDonald's, which was served at dangerously high temperatures of 180-190°F. Despite her initial request for medical costs, McDonald's refused to settle until the case went to trial. The jury awarded Liebeck $2.7 million in punitive damages, citing McDonald's negligence in addressing the safety risks of its coffee. While the verdict didn’t result in major changes to coffee temperatures, it sparked widespread discussion on corporate responsibility and customer safety.

Takeaways

• 😀 Stella Liebeck, a 79-year-old woman, was severely burned by McDonald's hot coffee in 1992, leading to a legal case.
• 😀 Liebeck's injuries, which included third-degree burns on 6% of her body, were caused by coffee served at an unusually high temperature of 180-190°F.
• 😀 Despite McDonald's knowledge of the dangers of serving coffee at such high temperatures, they refused to settle the case initially, even after multiple opportunities.
• 😀 Liebeck originally asked McDonald's to cover her medical costs of $11,000, but the company offered only $800, leading to a lawsuit.
• 😀 McDonald's had previously faced over 700 similar incidents and paid over $500,000 in settlements for coffee-related burns before the Liebeck case.
• 😀 The trial highlighted McDonald's neglect for customer safety, with testimonies from employees acknowledging the hazards of hot coffee.
• 😀 Jurors initially thought the case was frivolous but changed their opinions after realizing McDonald's callous disregard for consumer safety.
• 😀 The jury awarded Liebeck $200,000 in damages, which was reduced to $160,000 after considering her 20% fault, and $2.7 million in punitive damages.
• 😀 The judge reduced the punitive damages to $480,000, bringing the total judgment to $640,000, but both sides later settled for an undisclosed amount.
• 😀 The case resulted in increased public awareness of the risks of hot coffee, but McDonald's did not lower the temperature of its coffee and continued to serve it at around 180°F.
• 😀 McDonald's and other companies began adding warning labels to their hot beverages after the case, but there was no significant industry-wide change in coffee temperature standards.

Q & A

What is the general story of the McDonald's 'Hot Coffee' lawsuit?

The story is often told that Stella Liebeck, a woman, spilled hot coffee between her legs while in a McDonald's drive-thru, resulting in burns that led to a lawsuit and a $3 million verdict against McDonald's.

What were the actual circumstances surrounding Stella Liebeck's coffee spill?

Stella Liebeck, a 79-year-old woman, was in the passenger seat of her grandson's car when she spilled the coffee, which was estimated to be between 180-190 degrees Fahrenheit. The coffee caused third-degree burns to her legs and groin.

What were the injuries Stella Liebeck sustained from the coffee spill?

Liebeck suffered third-degree burns over 6% of her body and other burns on an additional 10%. She required skin grafts, spent 8 days in the hospital, lost 20% of her body weight, and was partially disabled for two years.

What was Stella Liebeck's initial request from McDonald's after the incident?

Liebeck initially asked McDonald's to cover her medical bills, which totaled around $11,000.

How did McDonald's respond to Stella Liebeck's request for compensation?

McDonald's offered her $800, but she rejected the offer and hired an attorney to pursue a lawsuit.

What was McDonald's position on the temperature of the coffee?

McDonald's maintained that the coffee was not unsafe, arguing that the coffee was served at a temperature typical for the industry, and that it wasn't their responsibility for how the coffee was spilled.

How many other incidents of coffee burns were reported before Stella Liebeck's case?

Between 1982 and 1992, McDonald's received more than 700 reports of customers being burned by coffee and had paid over $500,000 to settle related lawsuits.

What was the jury's final verdict in the case?

The jury awarded Stella Liebeck $200,000 for her injuries, later reduced to $160,000. They also awarded her $2.7 million in punitive damages, which was later reduced by the judge to $480,000, bringing the total judgment to $640,000.

How did McDonald's respond after the verdict?

McDonald's appealed the decision, but the case was settled out of court during mediation, with an undisclosed amount thought to be under $600,000.

Did the lawsuit result in any changes to McDonald's practices?

After the lawsuit, McDonald's and other companies started adding warning labels to their hot beverages to inform customers that the drinks were hot. However, McDonald's did not reduce the temperature of its coffee, and the industry standard remains around 180-200 degrees Fahrenheit.