Quote:The 79 year old woman, Stella Liebeck, was awarded $160,000 in medical expense recovery and compensatory damages, and $2.7 million in punitive damages. Liebeck initially sought $20,000 for current and future medical costs, as well as lost wages, but McDonalds counter offer was $800. She hired a lawyer who really went after McDonalds. The judge reduced the punitive amount to $480,000 and after appeals by both sides, they eventually settled out of court for something less than $600,000.

 

She bought the cup of coffee at a drive through, pulled into a parking space to add cream and sugar. She put the cup between her legs, pulled the lid back towards her and the coffee spilled, absorbed by her cotton jogging pants. She had 3rd degree burns on 3% of her body and lesser burns on 16%. She spent 8 days in the hospital, receiving skin grafts in addition to normal burn care.

 

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I remember when this happened. It is indeed very easy to receive severe burns when scalding hot liquid is absorbed by clothing. The trial was called frivolous by many, but there were quite a few people who felt the packaging could have been better considering the high temperature and risk of serious injury.