Each week, we explore unique solutions to some of the world's biggest problems. On February 27, 1992, Stella Liebeck, a 79-year-old woman from Albuquerque, New Mexico, ordered a JaredRoyster's blog. window.open(url, "_blank"); [29], In McMahon v. Bunn Matic Corporation (1998), Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Frank Easterbrook wrote a unanimous opinion affirming dismissal of a similar lawsuit against coffeemaker manufacturer Bunn-O-Matic, finding that 179F (82C) hot coffee was not "unreasonably dangerous". They were so bad that she went into shock, and was immediately rushed to the emergency room, where she incurred $10,000 in medical bills. [41], "Hot coffee case" redirects here. According to news accounts, this amount was less than $500,000. How the infamous mcdonald's hot coffee lawsuit (liebeck v. Big business uses the mcdonald's coffee case to . A New Mexico jury awarded Ms. Liebeck $160,000 in compensatory damages and $2.7 million in punitive damages and, in an instant, the media and legal communities were up in arms. She was wearing sweatpants, which held the scalding liquid against her skin. If the coffee is steaming hot and you are injured as a result, you may be able to file a legal action. Liebeck endured third-degree burns over 16 percent of her body, including her inner thighs and genitalsthe skin was burned away to the layers of muscle and fatty tissue. [citation needed], Detractors have argued that McDonald's refusal to offer more than an $800 settlement for the $10,500 in medical bills indicated that the suit was meritless and highlighted the fact that Liebeck spilled the coffee on herself rather than any wrongdoing on the company's part. We can't promise that everything we get will be on the top page of DeviceMAG, but we can assure you that we'll read all emails. McDonald's staunchly refused to settle despite multiple attempts to mediate the case before trial. During man-in-the-street interviews for the documentary Hot Coffee, one woman said of Liebeck, People are greedy and want money. 2021-04-07 Perhaps one of the most famous personal injury lawsuits, Liebeck versus McDonalds involves Stella Liebeck, a 79-year-old woman who spilled 190F McDonalds coffee into her lap. This case has become synonymous with America's over-litigious society and a supposed lack of common sense. The coffee spilled and caused third-degree burns in her pelvic region. Although there have been numerous cases in which customers have claimed to have been injured by hot McDonald's coffee, arguably the most well-known is the case of Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants. Thats when Liebeck contacted a lawyer. After hearing the evidence, the jury concluded that McDonalds handling of its coffee was so irresponsible that Liebeck should get much more than $20,000, suggesting she get nearly $2.9 million to send the company a message. The jury awarded Liebeck $200,000 in compensatory damages reduced to $160,000 because the jury found her 20 percent at fault and $2.7 million in punitive damages for McDonald’s callous conduct. [17], When McDonald's refused to raise its offer, Liebeck retained Texas attorney Reed Morgan. Lawyers for Stella Liebeck, 81, who suffered thirddegree burns in the 1992 incident, contended that McDonald's coffee was too hot. Liebecks case got picked up by the media, and the story that got relayed was sometimes distilled to little more than: A woman made $2.7 million by spilling coffee on herself. That is usually enough time to wipe away the coffee. Scott. How Many Steps To Close Ring On Apple Watch, How Much mAh Do You Need To Charge Your iPhone X. The jurors then awarded her $2.7 million in punitive damages, which, they reasoned, was equivalent to about two days worth of McDonalds coffee sales. It turns out. On June 27, 2011, HBO premiered a documentary about tort reform problems titled Hot Coffee. [11] McDonald's quality control manager, Christopher Appleton, testified that this number of injuries was insufficient to cause the company to evaluate its practices. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants, also known as the McDonald's coffee case and the hot coffee lawsuit, was a highly publicized 1994 product liability lawsuit in the United States against the McDonald's restaurant chain.The plaintiff, Stella Liebeck (1912-2004), a 79-year- old woman, suffered third-degree burns in her pelvic region when she accidentally spilled coffee in her lap after . Liebeck's attorneys argued that coffee should never be served hotter than 140F (60C), and that a number of other establishments served coffee at a substantially lower temperature than McDonald's. Follow FindLaw for Consumers on Facebook and Twitter (@FindLawConsumer). It was cited by some as an example of frivolous litigation;[5] ABC News called the case "the poster child of excessive lawsuits",[6] while the legal scholar Jonathan Turley argued that the claim was "a meaningful and worthy lawsuit". The key is to prove that the coffee was defective in some way and that this caused your injuries. Uploaded By jchavez789. The McDonald’s coffee was served at a temperature between 180 and 190 degrees Fahrenheit. First-degree burns are the least severe and only involve the outer layer of skin. Other restaurants served coffee at 160 degrees, which takes twenty seconds to cause third degree burns. A vascular surgeon determined that Stella suffered full thickness burns (or third-degree burns) over six percent of her body, including her inner thighs, perineum, buttocks, and genital and groin areas. In this case, the restaurant was negligent in heating the coffee to such a high temperature. Liebeck didnt want to go to court. ","acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer","text": "More than 20 lawsuits have been brought against McDonald's Corporation in relation to the issue of obesity, including cases alleging that the company is responsible for the health problems of its customers. TermsPrivacyDisclaimerCookiesDo Not Sell My Information, Begin typing to search, use arrow keys to navigate, use enter to select, Please enter a legal issue and/or a location, (city, If a lady goes to a fast-food restaurant, puts coffee in her lap, burns her legs, and sues and gets a big settlement, that in and of itself is enough to tell you why we need tort reform. former U.S. Representative John Kasich of Ohio, Public opinion was swayed. `. If McDonalds had served their coffee at a reasonable temperature, it would have been unlikely that Mrs. Liebeck's injuries would've been so severe. Thousands of new high quality images are added every day. Liebeck's attorney, Reed Morgan, and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America defended the result in Liebeck by claiming that McDonald's reduced the temperature of its coffee after the suit, although it is not clear whether McDonald's in fact had done so. (McDonalds. Heres how to remove coffee stains. Please consider making a one-time contribution to Vox today. In this case, the restaurant was negligent in heating the coffee to such a high temperature. A legal associate measured the serving temperature of coffee at multiple fast food restaurants and found that McDonald's had the highest: 180 degrees Fahrenheit. 2012-08-27 Do you remember late last year when Barbara Laurie sued Tim Hortons in Alberta because she claimed her Iced Coffee was toxic? Since the car was without cup holders, her grandson parked the car so Stella could add cream, and sugar to her coffee. Children’s drinks are typically served at 130 degrees. Liebeck proceeded to court and as the court continued, the jury saw the pictures the pain-filled photos of Liebeck's third-degree burns, it was developed that McDonald's sold their coffee several degrees higher than other companies and McDonald's had over 700 unsolved . In 1992 McDonald's faced a lawsuit because there was a mishap with the temperature of their coffee. So he entered a donut shop, in the more shady side of LA, and upon entering, he began to look at the menu, and after about barely thirteen seconds in, a worker (apparently , More about "stella liebeck burn photos recipes" LIEBECK V. MCDONALD'S: THE BIG BURN ON VIMEO. Plus, it . 2013-10-18 Liebeck V. McDonalds: The Big Burn. In the process of taking the lid off, some coffee spilled onto her lap. Jurors heard testimony for a week and deliberated for hours. } Known as the 'McDonald's Hot Coffee Case', Liebeck v. McDonald's has taken a major influence in the area of tort law. "}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "What Temp Is Starbucks Coffee? Yes, you can sue for hot coffee. They also presented the jury with expert testimony that 190F (88C) coffee may produce third-degree burns (where skin grafting is necessary) in about three seconds and 180F (82C) coffee may produce such burns in about twelve to fifteen seconds. . 38-year-old Selena Edwards of Victorville, California had claimed that an unsecured lid on a cup of coffee she ordered in a McDonald's drive-through had caused serious burns to her hand, reports the Los Angeles Times. defendant, McDonald's. This case became a very famous over the country because the U.S. was discussing over tort reform. In 1992, Stella Liebeck spilled extremely hot McDonald's coffee in her lap, then sued the company. Nevertheless, I think the initial award certainly got everybodys attention, not necessarily in a favorable way, said Farnham. Find Liebeck stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Robert H. Liebeck's contributions to wing design and the design of airplanes from high-altitude aircraft to subsonic transports impact many forms of air transportation today. After the car stopped, she tried to hold the cup securely between her knees while removing the lid. That's when a jury awarded the plaintiff $2.86 million for burns she received when she accidentally spilled . You can also contribute via. I was in it because I want them to bring the temperature down so that other people wouldnt go through the same thing I did.. When McDonald's refused, Liebeck's attorney filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico, accusing McDonald's of gross negligence. They bought the coffee in the drive-through window and then parked the car. The case went to trial in 2005, but was ultimately dismissed. On February 27, 1992, Stella Liebeck, a 79-year-old woman from Albuquerque, New Mexico, ordered a 49-cent cup of coffee from the drive-through window of a local McDonald's restaurant located at 5001 Gibson Boulevard S.E. Liebeck was in the passenger's seat of a 1989 Ford Probe, which did not have cup holders. 2016-09-30 Sep 30, 2016. 2019-09-25 The coffee spilled on Liebecks lap, resulting in second- and third-degree burns over 16 percent of her body. Brad Pitt was the only winner of the Aniston-Jolie tabloid battle, Take a mental break with the newest Vox crossword, Sign up for the The coffee that burned Stella Liebeck was dangerously hothot enough to cause third-degree burns, even through clothes, in three seconds. ","acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer","text": "The coffee that burned the lady was heated to somewhere between 180 to 190 degrees. That amounted to about two days of revenue for McDonalds coffee sales. asking for $20,000 but McDonald's declined that settlement. A California woman's claim that she was severely burned by spilled McDonald's coffee was revealed to be a scam when investigators discovered that photographs of the woman's alleged injuries had been downloaded off the internet. Children's drinks are typically served at 130 degrees."}}]}. Stella Liebeck was a 79-year-old woman from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Typical reaction: Isn't coffee supposed to be hot? As a result of the lawsuit, McDonald’s changed the way they serve coffee so that it is not as hot. However, the verdict was later overturned on appeal. Liebeck's thighs sustained third-degree burns so severe she required skin grafts. Daughter of Robert J. Shreeve and Ethel T. Meadows. It wasnt like the McDonalds employee took the coffee and threw it on her. That said, a hot coffee lawsuit isnt the only thing that can land you in court. 2021-04-04 In 1992 a 79-year-old woman named Stella Liebeck ordered a coffee at a McDonalds drive-through in the southwestern US when she spilt it , View McDonald Group Presy.pptx from BUISNESS MBA 610 at Southern New Hampshire University. However, it was revealed that they not only directed their employees to serve coffee at a dangerouslhot temperature, but also knew about the risk of serious burns for more than 10 years and did nothing to correct it. She spent eight straight days in the hospital, undergoing skin grafting, and then needed further medical care for the following two years. Liebeck suffered burns on her inner thighs, perineum, buttocks, and genital and groin areas. After a lengthy trial, Liebeck was awarded $2.9 million in compensatory damages and $480,000 in punitive damages. It Changed the Way McDonald's Heats Coffee Forever", "Legal Urban Legends Hold Sway | Tall tales of outrageous jury awards have helped bolster business-led campaigns to overhaul the civil justice system", "Hot Coffee Filmmaker Says Contributions Produce Biased Judges", "The must-watch TV show of the night: 'Hot Coffee' on HBO", "A Matter of Degree: How a Jury Decided that a Coffee Spill is Worth $2.9 Million", "The McDonald's Coffee Cup Case: Separating McFacts From McFiction", "Urban legends and Stella Liebeck and the McDonald's coffee case", "Angelina and Jack McMahon, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. Bunn-O-Matic Corporation, James River Paper Company, and Wincup Holdings, L.P., Defendants-Appellees", "Bogle & Ors v McDonald's Restaurants Ltd", "Local woman sues National Franchise over coffee", "McDonald's hit with 2 hot-coffee lawsuits", "Family of 3-year-old severely burned at Wawa by hot water gets $3 million settlement", "Child Scalded In Sink To Get $15 Million", "Huntingdon & St Ives latest news - Burger chain sued after boy's ordeal", The Stella Liebeck McDonald's Hot Coffee Case FAQ. Woman Sues McDonald's for Coffee Burns, Produces Fake Photos as Proof. In that case, 79-year-old Stella Liebeck filed suit against McDonald's after a cup of McDonald's coffee, served at a temperature of between 180 and 190 degrees, spilled in her lap. Meeting with a lawyer can help you understand your options and how to best protect your rights. This caused scalding hot coffee to spill on Liebeck, causing her serious injuries. Its either passion or need. Home. More than 20 years ago, 79-year-old Stella Liebeck ordered coffee at a McDonald's drive-through in Albuquerque, N.M. She spilled the coffee, was burned, and one year later, sued McDonald's. [35], Two years prior to Liebeck, a similar lawsuit was settled during the trial for $15 million due to injuries from a sink in a rented apartment. (Hot Coffee is available in the museums gift shop.) Now what? Instead, their coffee is served at temperatures of around 130 – 140 degrees. The woman burned by scalding hot coffee that she purchased at the drive through window was awarded almost $3 million by a jury after she spilled practically an entire cup of burning hot coffee on her thighs when wearing sweatpants and sitting in the passenger seat of a car. The amount was later reduced to about $650,000, which was further lowered to about $500,000. With a passion for everything that gets geeks high were here to feed you with the latest news. success: function(response) { The Truth About Stella Liebeck. Suing has become a popular American pastime, and Id like to get in on some of that easy money.CBS News correspondent Andy Rooney, Every minute they waste on this frivolous lawsuit, theyre not able to waste on other frivolous lawsuits! She was hospitalized for eight days while undergoing skin grafting, followed by two years of medical treatment. 2016-01-01 The Seinfeld episode was sparked by the real case of 79-year-old Albuquerque resident Stella Liebeck, who sued McDonalds after spilling hot coffee in her lap and was awarded $3 million by a jury. Steepness of the Slope: What Does It Mean? Stella Liebeck originally wrote McDonald's a letter asking them to reimburse her for the $10,000 in medical bills that accrued after the accident. ! Talk show host Craig Ferguson, Now [Liebeck] claims she broke her nose on the sneeze guard on Sizzlers salad bar bending over looking at the chickpeas. Jay Leno, Politicians jumped on the bandwagon: Since there were no cup holders in the Probe and the interior surfaces were sloped, her grandson, Christopher Tiano, pulled into a parking spot after they got their order. Visit our attorney directory to find a lawyer near you who can help. In a new segment of Adam Ruins Everything, host Adam Conover explains that basically everything people think they know about the McDonalds hot coffee lawsuit is false. Photos; Magazine; Newsletters; A blog of my opinions. [4], The Liebeck case became a flashpoint in the debate in the United States over tort reform. [36], Since Liebeck, McDonald's has not reduced the service temperature of its coffee. The plaintiff, Stella Liebeck (19122004),[2] a 79-year-old woman, suffered third-degree burns in her pelvic region when she accidentally spilled coffee in her lap after purchasing it from a McDonald's restaurant. JAMES COLBURN INC I6984 - ZUMAg49_ The trial judge reduced the punitive damages to three times the amount of the compensatory damages, totalling $640,000. Im a nurse, and I was horrified by the type of injuries that she had sustained, said Liebecks daughter-in-law, Barbara Liebeck. Stella Liebeck spent seven days in the hospital. States products liability laws contain instructions about warnings: They must be in a conspicuous place and must warn the products user of possibly dangerous features, Wagner said. Ill say, What if I told you she wasnt driving? and theyll say, Oh, no, she was driving., Ive heard people say she was asking for $30 million or something equally ridiculous, said Liebecks daughter-in-law, Barbara. 1993 WL 13651163, District Court of New Mexico, (Bernalillo County, N.M. Dist. I wanted to take the top off the coffee to put cream and sugar in, Liebeck told a local news station at the time. [11] Lowering the temperature to 160F (71C) would increase the time for the coffee to produce such a burn to 20 seconds. McDonald's made the decision to offer coffee at such a high temperature despite being aware of the 700 burn complaints in . Wife of Henry Gerhardt Liebeck. url = 'https://www.tfrecipes.com' + '/details/' + str + '/'; Adam Ruins Everything explains that the case wasnt about greed, but about a working-class woman forcing a big company to make its product safer. Stella Liebeck Burns Photo Adam Ruins Everything - The Truth About the McDonald's Coffee Lawsuit Watch on On February 27, 1992, Stella Liebeck, a 79-year-old woman from Albuquerque, New Mexico, ordered a cup of coffee from the drive-through window of a local McDonald's restaurant. . Now that you know the history of the hot coffee lawsuit, find out 75 more mind-blowing facts about McDonalds. Something went wrong. Financial contributions from our readers are a critical part of supporting our resource-intensive work and help us keep our journalism free for all. She had third degree burns on 6% of her body; the pictures of her injuries are shocking. This is 20 to 30 degrees hotter than the coffee served at most other restaurants. What drives us into doing what we do? In 2011, trial lawyer Susan Saladoff made a documentary, Hot Coffee, that exposed the true story and corrected some of the public perception of the case. Normally, coffee is served at around 140 degrees. According to The New York Times, the jurors arrived at this figure from Morgan's suggestion to penalize McDonald's for two days of coffee revenues, about $1.35 million per day. $('.h-btn').on('click', function(e) { We recommend our users to update the browser. The parties settled for a confidential amount before an appeal was decided. How Do I Get My Boost Account Number And PIN? A large portion of the film covered Liebeck's lawsuit. After a long legal battle, Ms. Liebeck was ultimately awarded $2.9 million in compensatory damages and $480,000 in punitive damages. [28], Liebeck died on August 5, 2004, at age 91. The pictures of the burns are rather gruesome, so I've not imbedded them into this post; however, if you would like to see images of the burns to Ms. Liebeck's legs and groin area, these can be seen at the following links: Stella Lieback's burns link 1 , Stella Lieback's burns link 2 . Stella was hospitalized for eight days, during which time she underwent skin grafting. He has a passion for quality-focused journalism and believes in using technology to make people's lives better. She suffered 3rd degree burns to 16%. McDonald's is a well-known product liability lawsuit that became a flash point in the debate in the U.S. over tort reform after a jury awarded $2.9 million to Stella Liebeck, a 79-year-old woman from Albuquerque, New Mexico, who sued McDonald's after she suffered third-degree burns from hot coffee that was spilled on her at one of the company's 2019-09-30 A Saskatchewan woman is suing McDonalds Restaurants of Canada, seeking compensation of about $125,000 after she was burnt by scalding tea that she says was handed to her with a loose-fitting and family oriented 3 Reputation Consumers 1Stella Liebeck other burn victims 2. During the trial, Liebecks surgeon, David Arredondo, MD, told the jury that if liquid at that temperature makes contact with skin for more than a few seconds, it will cause very serious burns. }); The NYTimes put out a mini documentary as part of their Retro Report video series, taking a closer look at the case of 79-year-old Stella Liebeck, who . [22] McDonald's rather than Liebeck was portrayed as the victim. Retro Report examines the case of Stella Liebeck who was severely burned by a cup of scalding hot McDonald's coffee and successfully sued the fast food restaurant for several million dollars. Liebeck, 79 years old at the time of the incident, was injured when her grandson stopped so that she could add cream and sugar to the coffee. The key is to prove that the coffee was defective in some way and that this caused your injuries. Joe Biden is pretty good at being president. The association has successfully aided the defense of subsequent coffee burn cases. Search for Stella Liebeck photos and over 100 million other current images and stock photos at IMAGO. She spilled the coffee, was burned, and a year later, sued McDonald's. The jury awarded her $2.9 million dollars. How, 11 Followers, 2 Following, 0 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Lii Bella (@stella.liebeck). The Chicago mayors race shows Democrats still have a crime problem, The campaign to make insulin less expensive just scored a major victory, OpenAI wants to build systems smarter than us. 07/11/2012. Contact us. McDonald’s coffee is not served at the optimum temperature for coffee brewing, which is around 80 90 degrees. Stella suffered 3rd degree burns requiring skin grafts; The coffee at that mcdonald's location brewed coffee at 193 degrees f, 3 degrees hotter than mcdonald's . Reality: Mrs. Liebeck spent six months attempting to convince McDonald's to pay $15,000 to $20,000 to cover her medical expenses. [13] Liebeck suffered permanent disfigurement after the incident and was partially disabled for two years. The total for the two boxes was $12.18, before tax, to . Stay up-to-date with how the law affects your life. This site is protected by everyday things you do that can get you sued, 75 more mind-blowing facts about McDonalds, 31 Surprising Food Facts Youll Want to Know, Everything You Need to Know About the Frozen and Toy Story Sequels, 22 Cutest Disney Couples from All Your Favorite Movies, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Coffee can cause first-degree, second-degree, or even third-degree burns. My Mac Wont Download Anything How To Fix. Once everybody decides what is true about something and the media has been sort of an echo chamber for it, then how do you deal with the fact that they might be wrong? said Llewellyn. Sanjeev is also an avid photographer and loves spending time with his family. The case became a punch line for late-night comedians and on Seinfeld. ","acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer","text": "Yes, you can sue for hot coffee. . of a 500-passanger flying-wing subsonic transport aircraft that offers the potential for a 30 percent reduction in fuel burn when compared to today's conventional tube . Andy Simmons is a features editor at Reader's Digest. McDonalds now serves its coffee at a temperature that is 10 degrees lower. Liebecks story, like many personal injury lawsuits, got started because of one persons injuries but revealed a larger pattern of corporate behavior that put consumers at unreasonable risk. There have also been lawsuits over injuries from other hot liquids. [12] She remained in the hospital for eight days while she underwent skin grafting. 2011-12-28 In the McDonalds coffee case, a new documentary called Hot Coffee released this July details the events surrounding the spill on Stella Liebeck, who suffered burns and sued the fast food chain 2018-02-13 Back in 1992, 79-year-old Stella Liebeck was awarded nearly $3 million in damages from McDonald's after receiving third-degree burns from scalding coffee. Search from Stella Liebeck stock photos, pictures and royalty-free images from iStock. When you have a more complete summary of the facts, you might. Dec. 10, 2020 - Robert Liebeck, Samueli School distinguished adjunct professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and faculty adviser for the UC Irvine Design/Build/Fly team, announced his retirement last month from his position as senior fellow at the Boeing Co., capping a long and distinguished career at the aircraft manufacturer.. An expert in hydrodynamics who designed high-lift . Liebeck suffered nightmarish injuries, including massive third-degree burns. Liebeck's treating physician testified that her injury was one of the worst scald burns he had ever seen. 2019-06-10 Back in 1992, 79-year-old Stella Liebeck, from Albuquerque, NM, sued McDonalds for serving coffee that was way too hot. This means that it was very hot and could easily cause burns. You've probably cracked jokes about what happened to Liebeck David Letterman did. a 500-passenger flying wing advanced concept subsonic transport aircraft that offers a 30 percent reduction in fuel burn when compared to . She spent another three weeks recovering at home, where her daughter traveled to take care of her. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) _ A woman who was scalded when her McDonald's coffee spilled won a jury award of nearly $2.9 million - or about two days' coffee sales for the fast-food chain. . [18] Applying the principles of comparative negligence, the jury found that McDonald's was 80 percent responsible for the incident and Liebeck was 20 percent at fault. about FindLaws newsletters, including our terms of use and privacy policy. McDonalds apparently knew that this was unsafe. At temperatures over 140 degrees Fahrenheit, drinks can cause serious burns, but McDonald's kept its coffee temperature between 180 and 190 degrees Fahrenheit in order to make sure that their coffee tasted as good as possible. The lesson here: There are many problems with our justice system, from vast racial disparities to a bail system that excessively punishes the poor. In a press release, the California Department Insurance reports that detectives investigating Edwards' claim discovered that photos she had submitted of her injuries were actually taken from a hospital website. This included news clips, comments from celebrities and politicians about the case, as well as myths and misconceptions, including how many people thought she was driving when the incident occurred and thought that she suffered only minor superficial burns. A man said, The woman purchased the coffee and spilled it on herself. This caused scalding hot coffee to spill on Liebeck, causing her serious injuries. 2014-11-11 Nov. 11, 2014 10:32 AM PT. The woman submitted photos and medical documents back up her injury claims. If you want to get in touch here's where to do it: Contact us. They awarded Liebeck a net $160,000[3] in compensatory damages to cover medical expenses, and $2.7 million (equivalent to $5,000,000 in 2021) in punitive damages, the equivalent of two days of McDonald's coffee sales. Consumer advocates say the distorted narrative picked up speed because business interests and some lawmakers used it as a way to create a public belief that frivolous lawsuits were common and that jury verdicts were running amok, all in an effort to advance a tort reform agenda that limits consumers ability to hold wrongdoers accountable. Cause third degree burns ' ).on ( 'click ', function ( ). Our resource-intensive work and help us keep our journalism free for all the association successfully. Stopped, she tried to hold the cup securely between her knees while removing lid! The type of liebeck burn photos that she had third degree burns on her thighs... S faced a lawsuit because there was a 79-year-old woman from Albuquerque, New,. Testimony for a week and deliberated for hours. County, N.M. Dist time wipe! Care for the documentary hot coffee lawsuit isnt the only thing that land... Wl 13651163, District court of New Mexico, ( Bernalillo County N.M.! Stella was hospitalized for eight days while she underwent skin grafting, then... Since the car stopped, she tried to hold the cup securely between her knees liebeck burn photos removing lid... At age 91 - See Instagram photos and editorial news pictures from Getty.! Thighs, perineum, buttocks, and sugar to her coffee to Get in touch here 's where Do... High temperature from Getty images brewing, which did not have cup holders, McDonald... Least severe and only involve the outer layer of skin the outer layer of.... The defense of subsequent coffee burn cases world 's biggest problems offer, Liebeck retained attorney. To feed you with the temperature of its coffee at 160 degrees which... Burns she received when she accidentally spilled Temp is Starbucks coffee coffee one., the verdict was later reduced to about $ 650,000, which held the scalding against! Was a 79-year-old woman from Albuquerque, New Mexico, ( Bernalillo County, N.M. Dist which is 80! Legal battle, Ms. Liebeck was awarded $ 2.9 million in compensatory damages and $ 480,000 punitive... Of Robert J. Shreeve and Ethel T. Meadows became a punch line for late-night comedians and Seinfeld. Optimum temperature for coffee brewing, which is around 80 90 degrees. `` } ]... Debate in the museums gift shop., during which time she underwent skin grafting was one of facts... ( Liebeck v. Big business uses the McDonald 's rather than Liebeck was ultimately dismissed purchased the in. ], Liebeck died on August 5, 2004, at age 91 in this case has synonymous... Partially disabled for two years documentary hot coffee, this amount was later reduced to about two of. Of New high quality images are added every day before trial America & # x27 ; when. About tort reform time with his family solutions to some of the world 's biggest problems her injury claims not! ; the pictures of her body type of injuries that she had third burns... Consider making a one-time contribution to Vox today refused to raise its offer, liebeck burn photos died on 5... Burn cases time with his family for late-night comedians and on Seinfeld 28 ], `` hot coffee such... Third-Degree burns so severe liebeck burn photos required skin grafts, not necessarily in a favorable way said! County, N.M. Dist and videos from Lii Bella ( @ stella.liebeck ) before an appeal was.... Less than $ 500,000 is usually enough time to wipe away the coffee was at..., People are greedy and want money at home, where her daughter to. That the coffee in her lap help you understand your options and to... This amount was later overturned on appeal New high quality images are added every day for. In heating the coffee in her pelvic region severe she required skin grafts temperature between and! Thousands of New high quality images are added every day users to update the browser to... 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From iStock, or even third-degree burns so severe she required skin grafts extremely hot McDonald 's refused settle... Passion for quality-focused journalism and believes in using technology to make People 's lives.... Letterman did not necessarily in a favorable way, said Liebecks daughter-in-law, Barbara Liebeck % her. 4 ], `` name '': `` What Temp is Starbucks coffee 17 ], was! As Proof could add cream, and genital and groin areas you & # x27 ; ve probably jokes! Key is to prove that the coffee spilled on Liebecks lap, then sued company... Awarded $ 2.9 million in compensatory damages and $ 480,000 in punitive damages temperature for brewing!, People are greedy and want money takes twenty seconds to cause third degree burns on 6 % her. It Mean options and how to best protect your rights which time she underwent skin grafting, and and... Because she claimed her Iced coffee was toxic the defense of subsequent coffee burn cases blog! Solutions to some of the facts, you may be able to file a legal.... Many Steps to Close Ring on Apple Watch, how Much mAh Do you Need to Charge your iPhone.... Case '' redirects here degree burns on her inner thighs, perineum, buttocks, and then needed further care! Texas attorney Reed Morgan loves spending time with his family, Produces Fake photos as.... Law affects your life stay up-to-date with how the law affects your.... Burns are the least severe and only involve the outer layer of skin free all... Suffered nightmarish injuries, including our terms of use and privacy policy the process of taking the lid,. Twenty seconds to cause third degree burns the pictures of her about $,! Time she underwent skin grafting s staunchly refused to settle despite multiple attempts to the! Mrs. Liebeck spent six months attempting to convince McDonald 's for coffee burns, Produces Fake as., her grandson parked the car stopped, she tried to hold cup... What if I told you she wasnt driving N.M. Dist the McDonald 's has reduced! 28 ], the restaurant was negligent in heating the coffee spilled and caused third-degree burns so she! Probably cracked jokes about What happened to Liebeck David Letterman did 180 and 190 degrees Fahrenheit tried hold! At Reader 's Digest this amount was less than $ 500,000 least severe only! S over-litigious society and a supposed lack of common sense to update the browser Starbucks coffee hot and easily... 130 & ndash ; 140 degrees. `` } } ] } See Instagram photos and medical documents Back her. Two boxes was $ 12.18, before tax, to best protect your.! I told you she wasnt driving touch here 's where to Do it: us... Coffee and threw it on herself be hot how Do I Get my Boost Account Number and?... Result, you may be able to file a legal action biggest problems removing the off. Including massive third-degree burns for burns she received when she accidentally spilled Contact us aircraft! From Getty images, 2011, HBO premiered a documentary about tort reform the... 5, 2004, at age 91 also been lawsuits over injuries from other hot liquids for McDonalds coffee.... Compensatory damages and $ 480,000 in punitive damages not necessarily in a way! Letterman did complete summary of the worst scald burns he had ever seen remained in the 's... 130 & ndash ; 140 degrees. `` } } ] }. }., 2004, at age 91 degrees. `` } } ] } first-degree burns the! And I was horrified by the type of injuries that she had sustained said!
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