Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants facts for kids

The Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants case is often called the "McDonald's coffee case". It was a legal fight between Stella Liebeck and the fast-food company McDonald's. Stella Liebeck was seriously hurt by hot coffee she bought from a McDonald's restaurant. A group of people called a jury decided she should get $2.86 million. But in the end, she received $640,000.

How Stella Liebeck Was Injured

The accident with the hot coffee happened on February 27, 1992. Stella Liebeck was 79 years old at the time. She bought a cup of coffee from the drive-through window at a McDonald's. While she was adding cream and sugar, she accidentally spilled the hot coffee on her lap.

She was taken to the hospital right away. Doctors found she had very bad burns. She had to stay in the hospital for eight days. She even needed skin grafting, which is when healthy skin is moved to cover burned areas. The accident changed her body forever, and she was disabled for two years.

Why Stella Liebeck Sued McDonald's

Stella Liebeck first asked McDonald's for $20,000. This money was to help pay for her hospital bills and for her daughter's care. McDonald's only offered her $800.

Because McDonald's offered so little, Stella Liebeck hired a lawyer named Reed Morgan. Her lawyer said the coffee was dangerously hot. He asked McDonald's for $90,000, but they still refused. This is why the case went to a trial.

What Happened at the Trial?

During the trial, Stella Liebeck's lawyer, Reed Morgan, showed several important facts:

• About 700 other people had already been burned by McDonald's coffee.
• A doctor said that coffee served at a cooler temperature would cause less severe burns. The doctor also stated that McDonald's coffee was too hot to drink safely.
• Other restaurants in the same city served their coffee at a cooler, safer temperature.

On August 18, 1994, the jury made its decision. They said that McDonald's was 80% responsible for the accident, and Stella Liebeck was 20% responsible. The jury also found that the warning on the coffee cup was too small.

The jury decided Stella Liebeck should receive $160,000 to cover her medical costs and other expenses. They also awarded her $2.7 million as a way to punish McDonald's and stop them from serving coffee that was too hot. However, the judge later lowered this amount to $640,000.

After the Lawsuit

• Some people thought it was wrong for Stella Liebeck to sue McDonald's and get so much money. But most of the money was meant to make McDonald's change their unsafe practices.
• McDonald's did not immediately make their coffee colder after the trial.
• Stella Liebeck passed away on August 5, 2004, at the age of 91. She used some of the money from the lawsuit to pay for a nurse to help her.
• A film about this story, called Hot Coffee, was made by HBO.

Images for kids

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  A cup of coffee from McDonald's