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I've heard that before. I just trust my first-hand experience more than any news article.

That's fine.  Just realize it was the McDonalds corporation being sued, not your neighborhood resturant.

I understand that, but given that normally-heated coffee will cause the horrible burns, and given that she should have known not to put the coffee between her knees on such an incredibly steep hill, I don't think that the McDonalds corporation should be required to pay her bills.

Natural Eugenics at work.  The less than gifted people out there will end up killing themselves but will leave our planet scarred for millenia to come.

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I've heard that before. I just trust my first-hand experience more than any news article.

That's fine.  Just realize it was the McDonalds corporation being sued, not your neighborhood resturant.

Bratboy,  there is another issue involved in this kind of lawsuit.  While no one, myself included, will shed any tears for McDs, the fact that that woman won that case creates a precedent which leads to more silly lawsuits (the obesity suit is a clear example, thank God it was thrown out.)  The problem is personal responsibility, not coporate greed.  If you spill coffee on yourself, you will get burned whether its 120, 150, or 170 degrees.  While the severity of the burns might have been McDs responsilbility, the accident that created the burns was the woman's responsibility.  Lawsuits of this nature, the coffee (and even more so the obesity), do nothing to to slow down corporate america.  They only make it easier and more likely that people will try to blame others for their own stupidity.  Lack of personal responsibility is the true crime here and is a huge problem in our country.  It doesnt require too much common sense to realize that putting a hot cup of coffee (at any temperature) between your legs, with no lid on it, while you are operating a motor vehicle, is a really bad idea.

Lawsuits of this nature, the coffee (and even more so the obesity), do nothing to to slow down corporate america.  They only make it easier and more likely that people will try to blame others for their own stupidity.  Lack of personal responsibility is the true crime here and is a huge problem in our country.  It doesnt require too much common sense to realize that putting a hot cup of coffee (at any temperature) between your legs, with no lid on it, while you are operating a motor vehicle, is a really bad idea.

First of all, I don't agree with the merits of the obesity case, and I'm glad it was thrown out.

However, in business you have to be aware that accidents do happen...whether you feel there was negligence involved or not (the woman was 81, folks).  Sure, coffee can 'burn' at any temperature.  Does that mean that I would no be liable for damages if I served coffee at 200 degrees?  At 300 degrees?  Simply because there is an inherent 'risk' involved doesn't mean you are completely cleared from any and all liability.  This was not a frivolous suit...the woman had never sued anyone in her life before and was only seeking damages for medical bills, of which McDonalds had paid out for coffee burns hundreds of times before.

I fully understand the concept of frivolous lawsuits...I just don't think this particular case, when all the facts are examined, was one of them.

Then don't state what if senarios...

water at 200 degrease would cause 3rd degree burns easly...

300 degrease it would tare the flesh off your body...

Cyberpawz

Then don't state what if senarios...

water at 200 degrease would cause 3rd degree burns easly...

300 degrease it would tare the flesh off your body...

Cyberpawz

It wasn't a 'what if'...the McDonalds guidelines at that time were to brew and keep the coffee near 200 degrees.  The woman had extreme 3rd degree burns.  My point was that the fact that a product could possibly cause 'some harm' does not free the company from liablilty for 'any harm.'

If you see a floor wet do you step on it?

If you see dog crap on the ground do you step on it?

If you get coffee from anywhere, and you didn't make it, do you guzzle it?

If the woman was driving while driking, McD's is not held responcible, for she was doing something illegally...

I had scaling hot water at over 200 degreese spilled on my arm...it was partially my own stupidity at the time that caused that accident...but because of where i was working, no one told me they were making more coffee when I was told to clean the machine...could I of sued them, potentally, yes... but did I... no...why, because I am fine, and none for the worse for the wear...

Cyberpawz

First of all, I don't think people slip in wet places because they 'saw' the water and then stepped in it.  Accidents happen.  If one is negligent and creates a hazard and then someone hurts themself, they're going to be liable!

The woman wasn't driving, she was sitting in her car...but what are you saying she was doing that was illegal?  I don't think she was acting illegally.

Yes, you could have sued them.  Did you have doctor bills?  Did you need skin grafts?  Would you have been so forgiving if you had to spend hundreds of dollars at the hospital?

By law, if the key is in the ignition, and turned to bring the engine to life, she was drinking and driving, and technically is doing an illeagle act...for drinking and driving, does not just deal with alchol, although that is what the police namily do arrest people on, and open container, or something in which you drink in, soad from a resteraunt, etc...you can be given a ticket for...

Could I of sued them, yes, did I know...I didn't have doctor bills because I didn't have health insurance, the first layer of skin was peeled off, and no hair on my arm, but it grew back with no scarring...

Cyberpawz

Cyberpawz wrote:

First of all, I don't think people slip in wet places because they 'saw' the water and then stepped in it.  Accidents happen.  If one is negligent and creates a hazard and then someone hurts themself, they're going to be liable!

"Drinking and driving" with a non-alcoholic drink is absolutely NOT illegal here in Texas...I think you've got your facts mixed up.

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"One thing we've learned is there's a difference between being disappointed and having madmen in authority."

                                                                   --Paul Krugman