Quote:
Originally Posted by XYZ
$640K is still a sizable award for a frivolous lawsuit. (Actually I'd call it a lawsuit without merit, as the injury suffered by the plaintiff was due to her own carelessness.) I wonder how much the lawyers got from it?
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The basis for the claim was due to other unheeded complaints to McDonalds that the coffee was too hot. Liebeck received a large 3rd degree burn to her groin area (disturbing photos are available if you search). She was "only" awarded something like $18k, but the additional $2.8mil was for punitive damages ("you should have known better, let that be a lesson to all others").
She should have known the coffee was very hot if she had ever had a McDonalds coffee before, and she shouldn't have held it between her legs, especially since old woman skin is thinner and more frail than most people's skin.