20 Years after the McDonald’s Hot Coffee Case

The Facts

In 1992, Stella Liebeck, an elderly lady residing in the State of New Mexico spilled a hot cup of McDonald’s coffee on her pelvic region, sustaining severe injuries as a result, including third degree burns on 6 percent of her body. Following a period of intensive medical treatment, she launched a lawsuit against McDonald’s, seeking financial compensation for her injuries. She established her claim on the basis that her injuries were the result of negligence in the company’s design of its coffee-serving procedures.