Yet another lawsuit because the coffee was hot

[JAB]

This jackhole is suing Starbucks because he spilled his cup of coffee - his FREE cup of coffee - in his lap and the coffee was hot.  Now, I don't drink a lot of coffee and when I do I generally prefer iced coffee but if you choose to drink a cup of hot coffee then isn't is supposed to be, well, hot?  And if you aren't careful not to spill said coffee wouldn't you expect it to still be hot?  Somehow, I just can't see any restaurant or coffee shop selling coffee that is hot enough to cause serious burns and blisters in our lawsuit-happy society.  Besides, being that the tissues inside the mouth are pretty sensitive wouldn't coffee that is hot enough to blister one's leg also be hot enough to seriously burn/blister one's mouth?

 

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/offbeat/raleigh-police-officer-burned-by-free-coffee-sues-starbucks/ar-BBjc2af?ocid=ansnewsap11

Edited May 8, 2015 by JAB

[EssOne]

Some people, when the Lord said "brains" thought he said "trains" and missed theirs.

[Joe357]

Maybe I should have sued the coffee maker when a few months ago with a freshly brewed pot of coffee the handle broke and spilled the super HOT coffee on my leg. I had second degree burns.

Guess I should have went in the brain line, but I heard train and didn't want to take a trip that day :(

[Monkeyman2500]

Wow, that cup of coffee ruined his life.

[Tncobra]

I'd be pissed if I were selected to serve on that jury.

[bersaguy]

Starbucks will settle out of court and pay the guy off to shut him up and make this go away fast............jmho

[TNWNGR]

My thoughts on this "hot coffee" nonsense are the case needs to be taken to court and vigorously defended with full public disclosure of what happened along with the persons name suing them. Throw in full information and available pasts histories and litigations originated by the person suing them as well as the attorneys representing said subject. The public embarrassment episodes might take a bit to take off in social media and with comedians but should prove interesting.   

[john455]

SHM I don't understand the stupid lawsuit club, we had a guy sue the company I worked for because he ran a flaggers stop sign and a tree landed on the hood of his car, he claimed emotional damages that caused him to not be able to service his wife anymore, and the company paid him off to keep from going to court, just stupid if you ask me!!!!

[JAB]

Maybe I should have sued the coffee maker when a few months ago with a freshly brewed pot of coffee the handle broke and spilled the super HOT coffee on my leg. I had second degree burns.

Guess I should have went in the brain line, but I heard train and didn't want to take a trip that day :(

 

Ouch!  I have a friend who will pour a cup of freshly brewed coffee from his coffee maker then put the cup in the microwave for a minute because he says the coffee maker doesn't get the coffee hot enough.  I have drank coffee with him, before, and had to wait for coffee from the same batch and the same coffee maker to cool before I could drink it even after putting a little milk and sugar in it.  Yeah, he likes his coffee to be really hot.

[I am Groot!]

I agree that these type of lawsuits are frivolous and this individual does not have a leg to stand on.  Most of this stems from a situation back in the 80's where a woman burned her self on McDonalds' coffee.  The McDonalds corporation and their lawyers can up with "what kind of a moron doesn't know coffee is hot" a defense to invalidate the plaintiff and turn the public to their side.  Just goggle picks of old lady's legs burned by McDonald coffee and you will see that her lawsuit was not frivolous.   This family originally asked for McDonalds to just pay for the medical bills and they refused multiple times.  These were also multiple examples of people being severely burned my McDonalds' coffee and they refused to do anything about it.  Frivolous lawsuits make me sick from individuals, but corporations are just  as bad.

 

This is a link to a documentary called Hot Coffee about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmEYWCg0J7Q

 

This is a picture of her leg, it is graphic.

http://www.google.com/search?q=old+lady+burned+by+mcdonald's+coffee&rlz=1T4VRHB_enUS614US617&tbm=isch&imgil=z20aJmWf9CxF-M%253A%253BPZJT6YhITzmoCM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%25252Fnews%25252Farticle-2470792%25252FStella-Liebecks-hot-coffee-McDonalds-lawsuit-The-truth.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=z20aJmWf9CxF-M%253A%252CPZJT6YhITzmoCM%252C_&usg=__ZtCP4JZUPSgnUyyRZzU_GPsCdlg%3D

Edited May 8, 2015 by Odessa7979

[JAB]

I agree that these type of lawsuits are frivolous.  Most of this stems from a situation back in the 80's where a woman burned her self on McDonalds' coffee.  The McDonalds corporation and their lawyers can up with "what kind of a moron doesn't know coffee is hot" a defense to invalidate the plaintiff and turn the public to their side.  Just goggle picks of old lady's legs burned by McDonald coffee and you will see that her lawsuit was not frivolous.   This family originally asked for McDonalds to just pay for the medical bills and they refused multiple times.  These were also multiple examples of people being severely burned my McDonalds' coffee and they refused to do anything about it.  Frivolous lawsuits make me sick from individuals, but corporations are just  as bad.

 

This is a link to a documentary called Hot Coffee about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmEYWCg0J7Q

 

This is a picture of her leg, it is graphic.

http://www.google.com/search?q=old+lady+burned+by+mcdonald's+coffee&rlz=1T4VRHB_enUS614US617&tbm=isch&imgil=z20aJmWf9CxF-M%253A%253BPZJT6YhITzmoCM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%25252Fnews%25252Farticle-2470792%25252FStella-Liebecks-hot-coffee-McDonalds-lawsuit-The-truth.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=z20aJmWf9CxF-M%253A%252CPZJT6YhITzmoCM%252C_&usg=__ZtCP4JZUPSgnUyyRZzU_GPsCdlg%3D

 

IIRC, there was more to it than just 'what kind of idiot doesn't know coffee is hot."  To the best of my recollection (I was in high school at the time) the lady got the coffee to go and had it sitting between her legs in the car.  I think the defense was more like, "What kind of idiot sits a cup of hot coffee between her legs while driving a car and then is surprised when said hot coffee spills and burns her legs?" 

[I am Groot!]

IIRC, there was more to it than just 'what kind of idiot doesn't know coffee is hot."  To the best of my recollection (I was in high school at the time) the lady got the coffee to go and had it sitting between her legs in the car.  I think the defense was more like, "What kind of idiot sits a cup of hot coffee between her legs while driving a car and then is surprised when said hot coffee spills and burns her legs?" 

 

She was 79.  Not every car had a cup holder back then and people kept their drinks in between their legs. Most of us have grabbed a cup by the top and not the actual cup.  By doing this I have underestimated how hot it was.

Edited May 8, 2015 by Odessa7979

[luvmyberetta]

What happened to the days of common sense? He's suing for "emotional damage"? Really?! Crap happens & you get over it. It's not like they threw it in his face or something. Maybe Starbucks should counter-sue this idiot for taking up precious oxygen in the environment.

 

IHO, Starbucks should tell him to...

[BigK]

I won't put a cold drink with a lid between my legs in a car, let alone a hot one. If you can't anticipate the possibility of a flimsy plastic lid coming loose, a bump in the road, or just unsteady hands removing a lid, not only do you need to stay away from hot beverages, you need a walking-around helmet.

 

 

Starbucks will settle out of court and pay the guy off to shut him up and make this go away fast............jmho

 

You're probably right, but if it got this far into the news, it may be past that point.

 

Regardless, as consumers, we bear the cost of these frivolous lawsuits and out of court settlements. Every time someone wins these cases, a light bulb comes on in the minds of scandalous people looking for a quick buck. Many of these cases would never see the inside of a court room if we weren't one of the only western democracies that doesn't have a "loser pays" judicial system. 

[Randall53]

Many of these cases would never see the inside of a court room if we weren't one of the only western democracies that doesn't have a "loser pays" judicial system.

AMEN.....it would also send a ton of lawyers to the street corner selling hotdogs from a cart.

[glock55]

Perhaps coffee shops should require each customer to sing a waiver at time of purchase stating they understand the coffee is hot and will burn if spilled. The customer must also agree to handle said coffee in accordance with all local,state and federal coffee safety standards.

[BigK]

Maybe even state laws prohibiting the transport of open coffee cups in vehicles without TDOT tested spill guards and cup holders. You know, to protect stupid people from themselves.

[Caster]

Stupidity should be painful....ohh wait, it is!

[Dustbuster]

[Grand Torino]

Ain't that the truth?

[oldogy]

There is a fairly decent greasy spoon restaurant where the wife and I used to frequent for breakfast. New management decided the coffee should be served less than hot.  We no longer eat there.   We go where the coffee is served hot.

Edited May 9, 2015 by oldogy