[ChicagoCard]

The McDonald's coffee lawsuit is one of the most misunderstood in popular lore. People make it seem as if the lawsuit was over normally heated coffee. Not the case!

It was regular practice in McDonald's at that time to super-heat their coffee. For the particular woman who spilled the coffee, she had third-degree burns and required reconstructive surgery. This isn't what you normally expect from coffee.

Now, I don't disagree with the ultimate point -- that American society is probably too litigious -- but the example is strange once you learn the actual details of the case.

I never spilled McDonald's coffee but I used to resort to going to McDonald's on long road trips before that lawsuit and feeling fearful of what a disaster it would be to spill one of their super hot, flimsy cups of coffee on myself. Especially a large one.

[ChicagoCard]

The McDonald's coffee lawsuit is one of the most misunderstood in popular lore. People make it seem as if the lawsuit was over normally heated coffee. Not the case!

It was regular practice in McDonald's at that time to super-heat their coffee. For the particular woman who spilled the coffee, she had third-degree burns and required reconstructive surgery. This isn't what you normally expect from coffee.

Now, I don't disagree with the ultimate point -- that American society is probably too litigious -- but the example is strange once you learn the actual details of the case.

I never spilled McDonald's coffee but I used to resort to going to McDonald's on long road trips before that lawsuit and feeling fearful of what a disaster it would be to spill one of their super hot, flimsy cups of coffee on myself. Especially a large one.