Mcdonald's Coffee Lawsuit

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In 1992, Stella Liebeck spilled a cup of hotter-than-normal coffee on herself. This coffee was acquired from McDonalds not too long prior, with the ensuing burns leading her to file a lawsuit two years later. The lawsuit resulted in Liebeck winning $2.86 million in punitive damages, with the amount making headlines across America. Many were shocked by the large sum, some even mocked at how easy it appeared to achieve. Regardless, this lawsuit has become significant in the social, legal, and political spheres. While some viewed the events with disdain, Liebeck and the Jury who were present had a different experience (Filip 44; Haltom 1; Lopez; Bertram). The infamous McDonald's Coffee Lawsuit, or Liebeck v. McDonald's, has been published in Mass. …show more content…

The absurdity of the lawsuit's award of $2.86 million, $160,000 in compensation, and $2.7 million in punitive damages, has been the main focal point of the scrutiny. The publicised story that was repeatedly shared to the public was that Stella Liebeck bought a cup of coffee from McDonalds, and in her car with coffee between her legs, decided to drive off, leading to spillage across her person. The spill resulted in minor burns, causing Liebeck to sue McDonalds for a hefty sum which she subsequently won on the grounds that the coffee was too hot (Filip 45; Bertram; Lopez). This story has been used by talk-show hosts, late-night comedians, sitcom writers and politicians for various reasons, from laughs to using it as the reasoning behind Lawyers screening jurors (Stout). The media has highlighted Liebeck's supposed negligence, and her lawsuit in response to it (Lopez). Buying a cup of coffee, which is widely accepted as a hot drink, placing it between her legs and then driving off leading to the spill; the numerous news stories and even a Seinfeld parody had cemented her in a negative light (Lopez; Filip 45). However, the widespread story of Liebeck has been distorted, and

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