Her argument: The coffee was too hot. 4.24M subscribers 39K 5M views 9 years ago In 1992, Stella Liebeck spilled scalding McDonald's coffee in her lap and later sued the company, attracting a flood of negative attention. Sister of Madelyn Ousterhout. He has worked in the tech industry for over 15 years, and has written for some of the biggest tech blogs in the world. Liebeck acknowledged that the spill was her fault. The total was $2,735,000 more than Liebecks lawsuit had requested. [citation needed]. After receiving the coffee, she placed it between her legs while she attempted to remove the lid. "}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "What Temperature Was The McDonald's Coffee? 8 years ago. [14][15], Liebeck sought to settle with McDonald's for $20,000 to cover her actual and anticipated expenses. The world's most infamous cup of coffee spilled on February 27, 1992 in Albuquerque, NM. She placed the cup of coffee between her legs and attempted to remove the lid. The case went to trial in 2005, but was ultimately dismissed. 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, Stella Liebeck's family initially asked McDonald's to cover her out-of-pocket expenses. Thought the McDonald's Hot Coffee Spilling Lawsuit was Frivolous? 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 coffee that Ms. Liebeck spilled was extremely hot between 180 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit and caused severe burns on her skin. 2017-04-28 Stella Liebeck's legal team argued that McDonald's coffee was being held and sold at too high of a temperature. Ms. Liebeck’s lawyers argued that McDonald’s was liable for her injuries because they had failed to serve their coffee at a safe temperature. She passed away in 2004, at the age of 91. My Mac Wont Download Anything How To Fix. Barber claimed that the fast food chains were knowingly selling food that was hazardous to his health, and that they should be held responsible for the damage their food had done to his body. At the time, McDonalds required its franchises to brew its coffee at 195 to 205 degrees and sell it at 180 to 190 degrees, far warmer than the coffee made by most home coffee-brewing machines. The coffee . Inflicted with some minor burns, she sues McDonalds, as if she shouldnt have known that coffee is hot and driving with it in your hand or legs is dangerous. Visit our attorney directory to find a lawyer near you who can help. Third-degree burns involve all layers of the skin and sometimes even the muscles, tendons, and bones below. The video shows gruesome pictures of the third-degree burns on her groin. If the coffee is steaming hot and you are injured as a result, you may be able to file a legal action. stella liebeck burns photo. 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. And we thought this was a very small punitive damage.. Now that you know the history of the hot coffee lawsuit, find out 75 more mind-blowing facts about McDonalds. Woman Sues McDonald's for Coffee Burns, Produces Fake Photos as Proof. scorching 6% of her body with third degree burns. 1993 WL 13651163, District Court of New Mexico, (Bernalillo County, N.M. Dist. November 28, 2021 by . 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. Stella Liebeck never regained the strength and energy she had before she was burned. McDonald's went on to offer Liebeck a small amount of $800. Stella Liebeck was a 79-year-old woman in Albuquerque, New Mexico, whose grandson drove her to McDonald's in 1992. [6] Legal commentator Jonathan Turley called it "a meaningful and worthy lawsuit". "}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "How Many Times Has McDonald's Been Taken To Court? While parked, Liebeck put the coffee cup between her knees and removed the lid to add cream and sugar, and she spilled it. defendant, McDonald's. This case became a very famous over the country because the U.S. was discussing over tort reform. In the case of Liebeck vs. McDonald's, Stella Liebeck was burned by hot coffee she purchased through the drive thru at McDonald's and spilled in her lap in the passenger seat, receiving third degree burns which caused her to go into shock and require skin grafts in the hospital (Retro Report, 2015).Between 1983 and 1992, nearly 700 people claimed that they had been burned by coffee at . On a lighter note than the hot coffee lawsuit, read about the funniest court cases of all time. All the cup said was contents hot, but that isnt enough, Wagner notedthe warning should say how hot it is and that it could cause serious burns. That's when a jury awarded the plaintiff $2.86 million for burns she received when she accidentally spilled . She suffered 3rd degree burns to 16%. Liebeck's thighs sustained third-degree burns so severe she required skin grafts. The company knew its coffee was causing serious burns, but it decided that, with billions of cups served annually, this number of burns was not significant. McDonalds had received more than 700 complaints about burns from hot beverages over the previous ten-year period. . They extend through the skin and into the underlying tissue, causing extensive damage. [7] McDonald's asserts that the outcome of the case was a fluke, and attributed the loss to poor communications and strategy by an unfamiliar insurer representing a franchise. [5] ABC News called the case "the poster child of excessive lawsuits". The woman submitted photos and medical documents back up her injury claims. 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. [22] McDonald's rather than Liebeck was portrayed as the victim. A new video produced by Retro Reports shows the graphic photos of the third-degree burns that then-79-year-old Liebeck received on her groin, saying that after viewing the physical damage. During the court hearing, it came to light that the restaurant had fielded hundreds of complaints about burns from their coffee, and had settled many claims in the past, some for . This constituted a breach of their duty to Stella Liebeck, which was the direct and proximate cause of her injuries. 0. . View the full answer View the full answer, It's a story that has been parodied, joked about and mocked - the McDonald's hot coffee case. 2021-11-17 The hot coffee movie reveals what actually happened to stella liebeck, the albuquerque, new mexico woman who spilled coffee on herself and sued mcdonald's, . [38] Similarly, as of 2004, Starbucks sells coffee at 175185F (7985C), and the executive director of the Specialty Coffee Association of America reported that the standard serving temperature is 160185F (7185C). She was partially disabled for two years after the incident, while she received medical attention for her burns. But the McDonalds hot coffee case isnt one of those problems. )"}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "How Hot Was The McDonalds Coffee That Burned The Lady? Morgan filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico, accusing McDonald's of gross negligence for selling coffee that was "unreasonably dangerous" and "defectively manufactured". Second-degree burns involve the outer layer of skin and the layer beneath it. In fact, Liebeck's burns were extremely serious, she . Her injuries were anything but frivolous. Since the car was without cup holders, her grandson parked the car so Stella could add cream, and sugar to her coffee. Learn more After hearing the evidence, the jury concluded that McDonalds handling of its , Many unofficial sources report a global average height for women as 5 feet 3 inches or an inch taller. url: url, , FENNELPARMESAN FRITTERS WITH GREENS IN BUTTERMILKBACON DRESSING, Shells with Italian Sausage and Ricotta Stuffing, Mini Pumpkin Sage Balls with Balsamic Creme Fraiche, Penne With Tomatoes, Pancetta, And Red Pepper, Potato Pancakes W Katenspeck And Cheese German. McDonald’s coffee is not served at the optimum temperature for coffee brewing, which is around 80 90 degrees. She sued the restaurant chain, and was awarded $2.9 million . 07/11/2012. "}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "Can You Sue For Hot Coffee? {"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type": "Question", "name": "What Kind Of Burns Did Stella Liebeck Have? How Many Steps To Close Ring On Apple Watch, How Much mAh Do You Need To Charge Your iPhone X. Liebeck settled for less than $600,000. [8] In June 2011, HBO premiered Hot Coffee, a documentary that discussed in depth how the Liebeck case has centered in debates on tort reform. [11][21], A twelve-person jury reached its verdict on August 18, 1994. On February 27, 1992, Stella Liebeck, a 79-year-old widow, was in the passenger seat of her grandsons Ford Probe ordering a Value Meal at the drive-through window of an Albuquerque, New Mexico, McDonalds. Stella Liebeck was a 79-year-old woman from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ct. October 5, 1993), Punitive Damages in Louisiana: A Year of Controversy, Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 20:48, U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico, "Remember the Hot Coffee Lawsuit? [11], The Liebeck case trial took place from August 8 to 17, 1994, before New Mexico District Court Judge Robert H. She had to be hospitalized for eight days, and she required skin grafts and other treatment. We doubt that Kenneth Wagner, counsel for Liebeck herself, will concede that any coffee served over 140 degrees could result in third-degree burns similar to those sustained by his client. If youre lucky, it will produce second-degree burns, he said. He has a keen interest in all things technology, and loves to write about the latest developments in the industry. . Jan. 1, 2011 - 1 3 95 .BURN VICTIM STELLA LIEBECK WHO SUED MCDONALDS AFTER SPILLING COFFEE ON HERSELF. That amounted to about two days of revenue for McDonalds coffee sales. While sitting in the passenger seat of her grandson's parked car, she attempted to remove the lid in order to add cream while holding the coffee cup between her knees. 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. 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. She was wearing sweatpants, which held the scalding liquid against her skin. The coffee had burnt her skin in seconds. Photo from Holistic Life . 2019-08-28 Call For A Free Legal Consultation: (201) 293-3979; MENU MENU. By submitting your email, you agree to our, What a lot of people get wrong about the infamous 1994 McDonalds hot coffeelawsuit. As a result of the lawsuit, McDonald’s changed the way they serve coffee so that it is not as hot. Stella became (in)famous in the early 1990s when she sued McDonald's after spilling coffee on her lap while sitting in the passenger seat of her grandson's parked car. The coffee was so hot, in fact, that it caused third-degree burns on the lady’s thighs, buttocks, and groin. If you don't believe it, you can run a Google image search for "Stella Liebeck burn photos". Oops. FindLaw.com Free, trusted legal information for consumers and legal professionals, SuperLawyers.com Directory of U.S. attorneys with the exclusive Super Lawyers rating, Abogado.com The #1 Spanish-language legal website for consumers, LawInfo.com Nationwide attorney directory and legal consumer resources. On February 27, 1992, Liebeck ordered a 49-cent cup of coffee from the drive-through window of an Albuquerque McDonald's restaurant at 5001 Gibson Boulevard Southeast. Not the logical consequence of a thoughtful trial.. And then she ultimately wins millions of dollars from the fast food chain becoming rich due to a dumb mistake that was all on her. Liebeck suffered nightmarish injuries, including massive third-degree burns. Burn Incident. The attorneys presented evidence that coffee they had tested all over the city was served at a temperature at least 20F (11C) lower than McDonald's coffee. A trial jury "beheaded" them for that and awarded the plaintiff almost $3 million in punitive . 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. Stella Liebeck, a 79-year-old grandmother, was a passenger in her grandson's car when they drove through. ","acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer","text": "Stella Liebeck had third-degree burns, which are the most serious kind. 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 . Now that you know what inspired the hot coffee lawsuit, here are some more things McDonalds employees wont tell you. She was in a parked car when the coffee spilled. asking for $20,000 but McDonald's declined that settlement. Then there was the 2.86 million awarded to Stella Liebeck in 1998 after burning herself with a $0.49 MacDonalds coffee claiming it was defective. Notes. Terms of Service apply. She spent another three weeks recovering at home, where her daughter traveled to take care of her. e.preventDefault(); They awarded her $200,000 in compensatory damages. 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. However, it was revealed that they not only directed their employees to serve coffee at a dangerously hot temperature, but also knew about the risk of serious burns for more than 10 years and did nothing to correct it. Im a nurse, and I was horrified by the type of injuries that she had sustained, said Liebecks daughter-in-law, Barbara Liebeck. Even the Stella Awards website-- a site dedicated to rooting out silly lawsuits and named after Stella Liebeck herself as the symbol of what's wrong with our justice system -- admits all these facts are true.. McDonalds admitted that its coffee was a hazard at such high temperatures. 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. Something went wrong. In 1992 McDonald's faced a lawsuit because there was a mishap with the temperature of their coffee. Stella Liebeck Blogs, Comments and Archive News on Economictimes.com. The amount was later reduced to about $650,000, which was further lowered to about $500,000. The photos of Liebeck burnt skin were introduced and a renowned burn specialist testified that coffee at 170 degrees would cause second degree burns within 3.5 seconds of hitting the skin. Other restaurants served coffee at 160 degrees, which takes twenty seconds to cause third degree burns. Liebeck suffered burns on her inner thighs, perineum, buttocks, and genital and groin areas. Scott. Unfortunately, she spilled the entire liquid contents onto her lap. They awarded $2.7 million in punitive damages. "}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "Why Did McDonald's Serve Coffee So Hot? The coffee spilled on Liebecks lap, resulting in second- and third-degree burns over 16 percent of her body. Also in both cases the impending . Much of the coverage about Stella Liebeck has been , 2016-12-16 McDonalds only offered $800, leading her to file a lawsuit in 1994. He should run again. (Hot Coffee is available in the museums gift shop.) ","acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer","text": "McDonald's served coffee so hot because it made the coffee taste better. ","acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer","text": "In 2002, Caesar Barber filed a lawsuit against McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, and KFC, claiming that their greasy and salty food had made him obese and unhealthy. Find high-quality stock photos that you won't find anywhere else. In 1992, Stella Liebeck, a 79 year old woman from Albuquerque, New Mexico, was driven by her grandson through the drive-thru of a fast food restaurant for a breakfast order. 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. 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 Liebeck’s attorney based the lawsuit on a theory of negligence. Liebeck placed the coffee cup between her knees and pulled the far side of the lid toward her to remove it. A 2011 documentary, Hot Coffee, explored the actual facts of her case, and the New York Times compiled a detailed investigation in 2013 that debunked certain myths surrounding Liebeck's ordeal . ","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. Browse related the founder videos, including the founder movie trailers and . According to news accounts, this amount was less than $500,000. Here at DeviceMAG we take technology very serious, no matter if its a small gadget or a new device on the market. On June 27, 2011, HBO premiered a documentary about tort reform problems titled Hot Coffee. But even after that, the myth of the woman who got rich after abusing the court system over spilled coffee persisted. 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. What she took issue with was that the coffee was so ridiculously hot at up to 190 degrees Fahrenheit, near boiling point that it caused third-degree burns on her legs and genitals, nearly killing her and requiring extensive surgery to treat. The general facts of the case. McDonalds responded with an offer of $800. ","acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer","text": "McDonald's coffee is not served at the optimum temperature for coffee brewing, which is around 80 – 90 degrees. You can also contribute via. In 1992, 79-year-old Stella Liebeck ordered coffee at a McDonald's drive-through in Albuquerque, New Mexico. All McDonald's restaurants served coffee between 180 and 190 degrees. 7 million in punitive damages and $160,000 in compensatory damages Wednesday. The only way you can get the attention of a big company [is] to make punitive damages against them, said juror Marjorie Getman. "}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "What Temp Is Starbucks Coffee? Reality: Mrs. Liebeck spent six months attempting to convince McDonald's to pay $15,000 to $20,000 to cover her medical expenses. On February 27, 1992, Liebeck ordered a 49-cent cup of coffee from the drive-through window of an Albuquerque McDonald's restaurant at 5001 Gibson Boulevard Southeast. 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 . 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. She was determined to be 20% at fault for her burns because she had spilled the coffee but Mcdonald's was 80% at fault for keeping the coffee way too hot. The infamous case led to various heated debates about "frivolous lawsuits," despite the fact that the severe burns required skin grafts on Liebeck's inner thighs. At this temperature, spilled coffee causes third degree burns in less than three seconds. The Liebeck vs. McDonald's coffee burn case stands out as a personal injury case because it was the old frail lady going against a giant corporation. The Facts: This case was filed by Stella Liebeck of New Mexico, who, in February 1992, while in the passenger seat of her grandson's car, was severely burned by McDonalds' (The Actual facts About the McDonald's Coffee Case, n.d.) coffee after it spilled on her legs, groin and buttocks causing third-degree burns (Bracken, 2005). Students who viewed this , 2021-11-14 Stella liebeck of albuquerque, new mexico, was in the passenger seat of her grandson's car when she was severely burned by mcdonald's . McDonald's has attempted to consolidate these lawsuits into a single case, but this effort has been met with resistance from some of the plaintiffs. Liebeck's attorneys argued that these extra seconds could provide adequate time to remove the coffee from exposed skin, thereby preventing many burns. Stella May Shreeve Liebeck was born in Norwich, Norfolk, England, on December 14, 1912. [17], When McDonald's refused to raise its offer, Liebeck retained Texas attorney Reed Morgan. This theory holds that a person or company is responsible for any injuries that are caused by their negligence. This is 20 to 30 degrees hotter than the coffee served at most other restaurants. reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Retro Report. School Portland State University; Course Title BA 385; Type. The McDonald’s coffee was served at a temperature between 180 and 190 degrees Fahrenheit. There was a lot more to the case. Brands. If the coffee is steaming hot and you are injured as a result, you may be able to file a legal action. Stella was hospitalized for eight days, during which time she underwent skin grafting. Yep, she's the McDonald's coffee lawsuit lady. In the decade before Liebecks spill, McDonalds had received 700 reports of people burning themselves. Our position was that the product was unreasonably dangerous, and the temperature should have been lower, Wagner said. [4], The Liebeck case became a flashpoint in the debate in the United States over tort reform. 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Submitting your email, you agree to liebeck burn photos, What a lot of people themselves. $ 800 commentator Jonathan Turley called it `` a meaningful and worthy lawsuit.. Its a small gadget or a New device on the market they awarded her $ 200,000 in damages! Unreasonably dangerous, and loves to write about the infamous 1994 McDonalds hot coffee case isnt one of problems... Unreasonably dangerous, and genital and groin areas their negligence jury & quot ; beheaded & quot ; &!, liebeck burn photos loves to write about the funniest court cases of all.. ( Bernalillo County, N.M. Dist suffered nightmarish injuries, including the founder videos, including massive burns. [ 21 ], a twelve-person jury reached its verdict on August 18, 1994 all layers the... Are injured as a result, you agree to our, What a lot of people themselves! Founder movie trailers and than 700 complaints about burns from hot beverages over the previous ten-year period $ 2.86 for. 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