A recent verdict shows that hot coffee burns are still a danger.
A few weeks ago, we told you about the often misunderstood and misrepresented “hot coffee” case, where an elderly woman received a large settlement when scalding-hot McDonald’s coffee spilled on her, causing severe burns that required substantial medical treatment. Unfortunately, it seems as though some restaurants have not learned their lesson from this famous case, as a recent verdict shows.
A 43 year old mother recently received a $100,000 verdict against Starbucks after a large (venti) cup of coffee spilled on her, causing first and second degree burns on her mid-section, and more than $15,000 in medical bills. She has permanent scars on her body as a result of the coffee spill, which happened when the lid on the coffee popped off. The coffee was 190 degrees when it spilled.
While many people mock those who are injured by hot coffee, the reality is that coffee served at temperatures of 190 degrees is more than hot enough to cause serious burns. In fact, Starbucks’ serving temperature of 190 degrees can cause third degree burns in just a few seconds (recall that water boils at 212 degrees, so this coffee is not too far from boiling). By contrast, the coffee makers that most consumers use at home produce coffee at between 135 and 150 degrees — which is a temperature that is far more suitable to actually drinking the beverage.
Starbucks and McDonald’s are far from the only restaurants or fast food chains that serve their coffee at piping hot temperatures, despite knowing that customers have been burned by these steaming hot liquids. These companies apparently persist in keeping their coffee so hot due to customer preference and to keep coffee tasting fresh longer — even if that means that some people will suffer permanent, life-changing injuries as a result.
The heat of the coffee is just one factor in these cases. Another issue is the cup design. In the Starbucks case, the company had been warned that their lids had a tendency to pop off or leak. In fact, Starbucks receives about 80 complaints a months about their lids. Nevertheless, Starbucks continued to serve dangerously hot coffee in cups with inadequate lids to its customers, which resulted in a woman suffering a serious injury. With facts like these, it is little wonder that a jury decided that Starbucks was liable for the woman’s damages.
While some people may view hot coffee and other types of product liability lawsuits as frivolous, the reality is that they serve to protect consumers from dangerous or defective products. While the verdict in this case was just reached, the end result may be that Starbucks decides to either lower the temperature of its coffee or find a better way to make sure that its lids don’t pop off or leak to better protect its customers from being burned by hot coffee.
If you have been hurt by a dangerous or defective product, a skilled personal injury attorney can make sure that you get the money you deserve for your injuries. At the Law Offices of Larry H. Parker, we have helped more than 100,000 people recover for their injuries. Contact us today at 800-333-0000 or info@larryhparker.com to schedule a free initial consultation. We never charge a fee unless we get money for you!
