How the McDonald’s Hot Coffee Case Changed Our Lives
More than 20 years ago, Stella Liebeck, a 79-year-old grandmother from Albuquerque, N.M., drew the wrath and ridicule of an entire nation when a jury awarded her $2.7 million after she spilled hot coffee from McDonald’s on her lap and suffered third-degree burns. However, a recent documentary made by The New York Times, brings to light the facts of the case, which never quite made it to the public eye.
Liebeck didn’t pass away until 2004 at age 91. But her family says she suffered emotionally until she died because she was ridiculed and held up as an example of what is wrong with the American legal system. The facts were so badly mangled by the media in her case that the truth got lost between the headlines and punch lines.
In reality, Liebeck, at the time of her accident, was sitting in a parked car with the coffee cup between her legs. The coffee spilled when she tried to open it. The coffee was so hot and the burns were so serious that she suffered shock and had to be taken to the emergency room. About 16 percent of her body was burned. She suffered third-degree burns over six percent of her body. She spent about a week in the hospital.
But, when the family sought about $10,000, which Liebeck had incurred in medical bills, McDonald’s offered them $800. Only then did she file the lawsuit. Another fact that is not often publicized is that although the jury awarded $2.7 million in punitive damages, it was significantly reduced later. In the end, she only received about $500,000.
However, we can now thank Stella Liebeck because her case created an industry standard whereby coffee is served 10 degrees cooler than before. The Times report also reminds us that the Liebeck case happened before we became the coffee culture we are today. Cups and lids are designed much better now and almost all cars come with one or more cup holders. Stella Liebeck took a lot of flak for her move to sue one of America’s beloved fast-food chains. But, the woman accomplished what she set out to do – to ensure that others did not have to endure the ordeal she had to go through.