Stella Liebeck, the 79 - year - old woman who was severely burned by McDonald’s coffee that she
spilled in her lap in 1992, was unfairly held up as an example of frivolous litigation in the public eye.
But the facts of the case tell a very different story. The coffee that burned Stella Liebeck was
dangerously hot—hot enough to cause third - degree burns, even through clothes, in three seconds.
Liebeck endured third - degree burns over 16 percent of her body, including her inner thighs and
genitals—the skin was burned away to the layers of muscle and fatty tissue. She had to be
hospitalized for eight days, and she required skin grafts and other treatment. Her recovery lasted two
years.
Liebeck offered to settle the case for $20, 000, but the company refused. McDonald’s offered Liebeck
only $800—which did not even cover her medical expenses. When the case went to trial, the jurors
saw graphic photos of Liebeck’s burns. They heard experts testify about how hot coffee should be and
that McDonald’s coffee was 30 to 40 degrees hotter than coffee served by other companies. The jury
learned that 700 other people—including children—had been burned before, yet the company did not
change its policy of keeping coffee at between 180 and 190 degrees. The company knew its coffee
was causing serious burns, but it decided that, with billions of cups served annually, this number of
burns was not significant.
The goal of the lawsuit was to try to right a wrong. "We knew, before the lawsuit was filed, that the
temperature of the water was 190 degrees or so, and the franchise documents required that of the
franchisee," said Kenneth Wagner, an Albuquerque lawyer who represented Liebeck. Most home
coffee makers produce coffee that is between 135 and 150 degrees, he added.Coffee that other
restaurants serve at 160 degrees can also cause third - degree burns, but it takes 20 seconds, which
usually gives the person enough time to wipe away the coffee before that happens.
"Our position was that the product was unreasonably dangerous, and the temperature should have
been lower," Wagner said.
The jurors awarded Liebeck $200, 000 in compensatory damages for her pain, suffering, and medical
costs, but those damages were reduced to $160, 000 because they found her 20 percent responsible.
They awarded $2.7 million in punitive damages. That amounted to about two days of revenue for
McDonald’s coffee sales. The trial judge reduced the punitive damages to $480, 000, while noting that
McDonald’s behavior had been "willful, wanton, and reckless." The parties later settled for a
confidential amount. According to news accounts, this amount was less than $500, 000 .
Liebeck’s case got picked up by the media, and the story that got relayed was sometimes distilled to
little more than: A woman made $2.7 million by spilling coffee on herself. The case became a punch
line for late - night comedians and on Seinfeld.
Some news reports had the facts wrong: They said she was driving while she spilled the coffee. In
reality, her grandson was driving, with Liebeck in the passenger seat. They bought the coffee in the
drive - through window and then parked the car. While parked, Liebeck put the coffee cup between her
knees and removed the lid to add cream and sugar, and she spilled it . She was wearing sweatpants,
which held the scalding liquid against her skin.Coffee that other restaurants serve at 160 degrees can
also cause third - degree burns, but it takes 20 seconds, which usually gives the person enough time
to wipe away the coffee before that happens.
"Our position was that the product was unreasonably dangerous, and the temperature should have
been lower," Wagner said.

The jurors awarded Liebeck $200, 000 in compensatory damages for her pain, suffering, and medical
costs, but those damages were reduced to $160, 000 because they found her 20 percent responsible.
They awarded $2.7 million in punitive damages. That amounted to about two days of revenue for
McDonald’s coffee sales. The trial judge reduced the punitive damages to $480, 000, while noting that
McDonald’s behavior had been "willful, wanton, and reckless." The parties later settled for a
confidential amount. According to news accounts, this amount was less than $500, 000 .
Liebeck’s case got picked up by the media, and the story that got relayed was sometimes distilled to
little more than: A woman made $2.7 million by spilling coffee on herself. The case became a punch
line for late - night comedians and on Seinfeld.
Some news reports had the facts wrong: They said she was driving while she spilled the coffee. In
reality, her grandson was driving, with Liebeck in the passenger seat. They bought the coffee in the
drive - through window and then parked the car. While parked, Liebeck put the coffee cup between her
knees and removed the lid to add cream and sugar, and she spilled it . summarize this text