{"id":353380,"date":"2024-02-22T09:26:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-22T14:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ability-fl-prod.internetbrands.com\/ability-law\/injury\/product-liability\/the-mcdonald-s-coffee-cup-case-separating-mcfacts-from-mcfiction.html"},"modified":"2024-02-22T09:26:00","modified_gmt":"2024-02-22T14:26:00","slug":"the-mcdonald-s-coffee-cup-case-separating-mcfacts-from-mcfiction","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/product-liability\/the-mcdonald-s-coffee-cup-case-separating-mcfacts-from-mcfiction.html","title":{"rendered":"The McDonald\u2019s Coffee Cup Case: Separating Fact From Fiction"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The McDonald\u2019s Hot Coffee Case: Separating Fact From Fiction<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Jade Yeban, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Garrett Monteagudo, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n
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The McDonald\u2019s hot coffee case involved 79-year-old Stella Liebeck, who suffered third-degree burns from coffee served at dangerously high temperatures. The jury awarded punitive damages to highlight McDonald\u2019s negligence. But the final settlement was significantly lower and intended to deter future harm.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The 1994 McDonald’s “hot coffee” lawsuit was well-publicized in the media and even became a pop culture reference. However, it is also a source of misinformation and misunderstanding about personal injury law. The plaintiff was ridiculed for a frivolous lawsuit<\/a> and for taking advantage of the legal system for financial gain. But the facts of this case demonstrate that is not the truth.<\/p>\n

The most common version of the story involves a woman spilling a cup of hot coffee on her lap. She then files a\u00a0personal injury<\/a>\u00a0lawsuit asking for large amounts of money in damages.\u00a0 Beyond that, the facts become murky for most people.<\/p>\n

Here are some of the commonly overlooked facts of the case formally known as\u00a0Liebeck v. McDonald’s Restaurants<\/a><\/i>.<\/p>\n

If you have questions about a personal injury case, contact an attorney near you<\/a> for targeted legal advice.<\/p>\n

McDonald’s Hot Coffee Case: The Facts<\/h2>\n

To separate facts from the myths surrounding this infamous case, we’ve provided some of the key undisputed facts shared at trial.<\/p>\n

Note: a\u00a0similar situation occurred in June 2023<\/a>. In San Francisco, Mable Childress picked up a hot coffee cup that did not have the lid properly put on, and suffered burns.<\/i><\/p>\n

Company Policy on Coffee Temperature<\/h2>\n

McDonald’s coffee was served at a temperature between 180 and 190 degrees Fahrenheit. McDonald’s had long known that this was 20 to 30 degrees hotter than the coffee served at most other restaurants.<\/p>\n

In fact, this temperature range was indicated in its operations manual. In the 10 years before the case, over 700 people scalded by coffee burns made claims against the company. But McDonald’s never lowered the temperature of its coffee.<\/p>\n

How the Coffee Actually Spilled<\/h2>\n

The plaintiff in the case was 79-year-old Stella Liebeck. How her spill unfolded is widely misunderstood. She was not driving a car when she was injured. In fact, she was not driving at all.<\/p>\n

She had gone with her grandson and son to the airport. On the way home, her grandson Chris pulled into a McDonald’s drive-thru for breakfast. He parked the car so she could add cream and sugar to her coffee.<\/p>\n

Because the car had no cup holders and a slanted dashboard, Stella Liebeck put the cup between her knees and removed the lid. As she did so, the slick Styrofoam cup flipped backward,\u00a0dumping the scalding liquid<\/a>\u00a0onto her lap. The liquid saturated the cotton sweat suit she was wearing.<\/p>\n

Her grandson Chris jumped out to help, but the near-boiling coffee was already searing her skin down to the muscle. By the time Chris was able to bring her to the emergency room, she had third-degree burns across her groin, thighs, genitalia, and buttocks. Stella Liebeck was badly injured.<\/p>\n

Initial Request for Coverage of Medical Expenses<\/h2>\n

Stella Liebeck spent seven days in the hospital. She spent another three weeks recovering at home, where her daughter traveled to take care of her.<\/p>\n

Stella Liebeck’s family initially asked McDonald’s to\u00a0cover her out-of-pocket expenses<\/a>. This amounted to about $2,000 plus her daughter’s lost wages. McDonald’s\u00a0offered $800<\/a>.<\/p>\n

McDonald’s Knew the Coffee Was Dangerously Hot<\/h2>\n

A McDonald’s Quality Control manager testified that McDonald’s knew of the risk of dangerously hot coffee. The company had no plans to either turn down the heat or warn their customers of the scalding danger. Another McDonald’s witness testified that they had received 700 complaints before Stella Liebeck’s case.<\/p>\n

McDonald’s Refused to Pay Liebeck More Than $800<\/h2>\n

McDonald’s refused to raise its compensation offer above $800. Stella Liebeck filed suit. Her lawsuit asked for $100,000 in\u00a0compensatory damages<\/a>\u00a0(including for pain and suffering) and triple punitive damages.<\/p>\n

These increased punitive damages were sought after the $2000 plus lost wages were denied. This lawsuit intended to send McDonald’s a message that their coffee was dangerously hot.<\/p>\n

Liebeck Didn’t Get ‘Millions’ of Dollars From McDonald’s<\/h2>\n

The jury decided on a punitive damage award of $2.7 million. A month after the trial, the judge reduced the jury’s punitive damages award of $2.7 million to $640,000.<\/p>\n

He reasoned that this amount was approximately three times the compensatory damages. He also said the case “was not a runaway” case and the revised amount would be “appropriate to punish and deter” McDonald’s for the safety hazards posed by its hot coffee.<\/p>\n

However, the parties\u00a0entered into a settlement<\/a>\u00a0for less than $640,000 (the exact amount is unknown) in exchange for McDonald’s dropping its planned appeal.<\/p>\n

The McDonald’s Coffee Case Didn’t Change Much<\/h2>\n

It seems as though McDonald’s still hasn’t learned its lesson. Other people have reported similar injuries after spilling McDonald’s coffee.<\/p>\n

In 2019 and 2020,\u00a0two cases were filed in Texas<\/a>\u00a0alleging injuries from spilling too-hot coffee, and a new situation (noted above) occurred in 2023<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Use Precaution Around McDonald’s Coffee<\/h2>\n

Consumers should be aware of the potential harm that can result from spilling any hot liquid onto their skin. Serious\u00a0third-degree burns<\/a>\u00a0occur at 185 degrees Fahrenheit in just two seconds.<\/p>\n

Skin grafting and other expensive medical treatments may be needed to treat injured victims. The costs can exceed tens of thousands of dollars and inflict prolonged pain. Some customers can become permanently disabled.<\/p>\n

Have You Been Burned by Hot Coffee? Talk to a Lawyer Today<\/h2>\n

Ensure you know the facts before buying into sensationalized stories permeating our culture. A widespread\u00a0product liability issue<\/a>\u00a0can affect the lives of hundreds, even thousands, of people. Learning the facts and speaking up can help others avoid injuries.<\/p>\n

Injuries can happen to anyone at any time due to the negligence of another party. Even a hot cup of coffee can bring an injury claim if it is unreasonably and dangerously hot, as the McDonald’s hot coffee case confirms.<\/p>\n

FindLaw’s attorney directory of product liability attorneys<\/a> can get you started. Start by selecting your state or city to review contact and ratings information for local experts. Your search results will also link you to additional details about their experience. Many attorneys offer free consultations.<\/p>\n\n\n

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