How could a person complain when they spilled hot coffee on themselves? Obviously, it is the consumer’s responsibility to treat the product with respect and care so as not to burn themselves. After all, the hot coffee is supposed to be hot. McDonald’s had a defense taking this caveat emptor (let the buyer beware) approach, taking no responsibility for Stella Liebeck’s injuries. Everyone knows that if they spill coffee on themselves, it could burn them. What is there to protect consumers from products that could send a person to the emergency room? What can an everyday consumer do to dispute against a giant corporation when they have been wronged?Ĭoffee is always served hot, though. McDonald’s was aware that coffee served at 180° F to 190° F could burn the mouth and throat (Kutner, n.d.). McDonald’s claimed that they served coffee at 180° F to 190° F to extract the most flavor and to keep coffee hot during customer commutes to work, and that they had no liability in Stella Liebeck’s spilling hot coffee on herself (Retro Report, 2015). Between 19, nearly 700 people claimed that they had been burned by coffee at McDonald’s and yet McDonald’s refused to turn down the temperature (Torres, n.d.). McDonald’s, Stella Liebeck was burned by hot coffee she purchased through the drive thru at McDonald’s and spilled in her lap in the passenger seat, receiving third degree burns which caused her to go into shock and require skin grafts in the hospital (Retro Report, 2015). Picklo and her husband are suing for an unspecified amount of money.ĭunkin’s corporate offices did not comment when asked by KYW, but in a court filing in April said that the store was not negligent and that Picklo’s injuries were due to her own negligence, the news station reported.In the case of Liebeck vs. “All the industry has to do is to have a holder that has higher sides and is more secure,” her attorney Paul D’Amato argues, according to CBS News. She said if Dunkin’ had better cup carriers the spill would never have happened. “Her legs are all burned up - like there’s skin coming completely off her legs from the degree of the burns,” someone said on the video, according to KYW.ĭunkin’ workers said that Picklo was eating something when they handed the coffee tray and grabbed it with one hand, Inside Edition reported.Īn unidentified employee told Inside Edition, “She moved her coffee to the other seat, and suddenly the coffee fell down on her legs.” Picklo was admitted into a burn center for three days of treatment for second- and third-degree burns to her legs, KYW reported.Ī discussion over her injuries was recorded on police body cameras shortly after the coffee was spilled. Her pants absorbed the hot coffee so she ripped them off and then called 911, Picklo told Inside Edition. and then the other two had fallen right on me,” Picklo said, according to CBS News. “As he tried to pass it to me - before I could even take it from him - I watched as the extra-large cup of coffee just fell forward. She said that a worker handed her a tray with three cups of coffee, which fell, scalding her. The incident happened last year in a drive-through of a Dunkin’ location in Delran, New Jersey.
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