Another hot Mcdonalds coffee case is off to court because why on earth would Mcdonald’s take half a day to explain basic legal concepts to their employees to ensure they understand that:
- Coffee is very hot.
- Very hot coffee can spill.
- Hot coffee sticks to clothes.
- Clothes fibers can stick to skin and melt into skin.
- Hot liquids cause very bad burns. Stella Liebeck, anyone? Also, don’t click here unless you agree that you know there are some very gross burn photos, mmkay?
Yes, I know, people understand the Liebeck thing and make fun of it…and call it the “Stella Awards.”
So, let me dumb this concept way down since Mcdonald’s is in trouble. Again….third time, by the way, since Liebeck, that involves the media.
How Hot Is Hot?
Most hot water tanks sit around 90 to 120 degrees…unless you turn it up yourself. According to the University of Wisconsin’s website, your skin needs to be exposed to a liquid for 15 seconds that is 133 degrees. There’s a reason most people use both hot and cold water when they shower or bathe. Yes, I know some of us prefer at least a few moments of straight hot water, but not the entire time. And, yes, I know hot tubs exist. Many of us have also experienced a momentary spill of a very hot liquid and thought, “Holy shit – what the fuck…” Maybe we were lucky and cleaned it off…and maybe we weren’t…..but maybe we were luckier than Stella or this person.
But the last thing we did was think, “Oh I think I’ll make a cup or buy a cup of super hot coffee and have a faulty lid give out so that if I’m stopped or moving the cup in a normal fashion, it’ll spill all over me, possibly disfigure me for life, but definitely cause me unexpected medical expenses and unwanted expenses. That sounds like a fantastic way to spend my day!”
But It Ain’t Over ‘Til the Plaintiff Proves Their Case
Of course, it ain’t over ’til the plaintiff proves their case! A Mcdonalds hot coffee case isn’t easy to prove. If they were, Mcdonald’s would have smartened up by now and:
- Lowered the temperature of their coffee
- Invested in better lids
- Maybe spent time explaining to their workers how to, you know, put together the cup of coffee…so that, maybe, the problem could likely then be the potential issue of the cup/lid manufacturer and maybe not theirs
But…apparently, this seems like more fun…I guess…what do I know. I’m just an online mom with an opinion.
