hot coffee documentary
Documentary Highlights McDonald’s Hot Coffee Lawsuit and Other Legal Issues
Most people have heard of the case where a woman who spilled coffee on herself sued McDonald’s because the coffee was too hot and won a huge settlement. However, the case was more complex than appeared to the public. The customer, who was 79-years-old, spilled an entire cup of coffee in her lap in 1992 immediately after leaving a drive-through. She suffered burns over six percent of her body and was in the hospital for eight days. While she was in the hospital, she lost 20 percent of her body weight, and endured medical treatments for two years following the accident.
The customer offered to settle with McDonald’s for $20,000, which would have only covered her medical bills, but McDonald’s refused. Finally, she sought a lawyer and sued the company. At trial, evidence was presented that McDonald’s forced its franchises to serve coffee between 180 and 190 degrees, which can cause third-degree burns on skin within two to seven seconds. Most other fast food outlets serve their coffee between 135 and 140 degrees.
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