Liebeck V. Mcdonald's Case
The Liebeck v. McDonald’s case was a product liability lawsuit filed by Stella Liebeck, a 79 year old woman who was burned by a scalding hot coffee. One Sunday afternoon in 1994, Stella Liebeck ordered a cup of coffee at a McDonald’s drive through in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As she sat alongside her grandson in a 1989 Ford Probe, Liebeck noticed that there were no cup holders on the passenger side. Acting quickly, Liebeck decided to put the coffee cup between her knees. When she removed the coffee lid, some of the coffee spilled on her lap, burning her thighs, buttocks, and groin. It was later determined that Liebeck suffered third degree burns on her skin that resulted in permanent damage. Liebeck was held in the hospital for over a week,
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For instance, Liebeck claimed that the abnormally high temperature of the coffee caused her injuries, making it defective. While I agree that the temperature of the coffee is a bit high, I don’t think it is an unreasonable temperature. Former Starbucks Barista Alecia Morgan stated in a thread on Quora that after 5 years of experience at Starbucks, she has come to learn that the ideal temperature for coffee is 180 degrees Fahrenheit. McDonald’s holds their coffee between 180 and 190 degrees, which is in line with what Morgan and others believe is the right temperature for coffee. It doesn’t make sense that Liebeck would deem this coffee defective given the fact that lots of people like the temperature of McDonald’s coffee. Morgan also stated, "Back when I first started working at Starbucks, the acceptable range for beverage temperature was around 145-165 degrees. That's not really all that hot." Coming from a coffee expert who has made lower temperature coffees, stating her honest opinion about this matter shows how unimportant the entire issue is. That doesn’t mean lower temperatures are not hazardous as well. Liquid temperatures as low as 120 degrees can cause third degree burns, and temperatures higher than that shortens the amount of time it takes for the liquid to burn the skin. There is no denying that 180 degrees and higher are dangerous temperatures for coffee, but
For instance, Liebeck claimed that the abnormally high temperature of the coffee caused her injuries, making it defective. While I agree that the temperature of the coffee is a bit high, I don’t think it is an unreasonable temperature. Former Starbucks Barista Alecia Morgan stated in a thread on Quora that after 5 years of experience at Starbucks, she has come to learn that the ideal temperature for coffee is 180 degrees Fahrenheit. McDonald’s holds their coffee between 180 and 190 degrees, which is in line with what Morgan and others believe is the right temperature for coffee. It doesn’t make sense that Liebeck would deem this coffee defective given the fact that lots of people like the temperature of McDonald’s coffee. Morgan also stated, "Back when I first started working at Starbucks, the acceptable range for beverage temperature was around 145-165 degrees. That's not really all that hot." Coming from a coffee expert who has made lower temperature coffees, stating her honest opinion about this matter shows how unimportant the entire issue is. That doesn’t mean lower temperatures are not hazardous as well. Liquid temperatures as low as 120 degrees can cause third degree burns, and temperatures higher than that shortens the amount of time it takes for the liquid to burn the skin. There is no denying that 180 degrees and higher are dangerous temperatures for coffee, but