Tort reform activists have routinely mocked the McDonald’s scalding coffee case in which Stella Liebeck sued McDonald’s after being scalded by a cup of coffee purchased at one of the chain’s restaurants as the "poster child" for frivolous lawsuits. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the actual facts in the case, which show that the injuries suffered by Liebeck were severe, that McDonald’s had refused to settle the case for $20,000 prior to trial, and that there was extensive testimony at trial concerning McDonald’s knowledge of the serious burn hazard presented by their coffee.
For a comprehensive discussion of the case, including quotations from a Wall Street Journal article on the case, see here.
