McDonald’s Hot Coffee Law Case and Unfair Verdict Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Introduction

This primary goal of this memo is to argue that the jury’s verdict on the Liebeck v. McDonald’s Restaurants case was not fair. This lawsuit had no legal merit, and should not have been won by the plaintiff. This memo will also address another perspective and will be ended with a rebuttal.

Facts

A 79-year-old lady has poured some of the coffee that she purchased at McDonald’s on her lap and received burns. She needed immediate treatment because the damage was severe and was disabled for a few years. She wanted a rather small compensation, but the company declined her demands. Such enormous numbers as $2,7 million were discussed. In the end, the amount of money that McDonald’s had to pay stays confidential (“FAQ About the McDonald’s Coffee Case” par. 3).

Argument

This is one of the best examples of unjustified and controversial lawsuits. The demands of the lady were unreasonable because she knew about possible injuries that may be caused by spilled coffee, and should be responsible for her actions. It should be understood that some products may be dangerous if a person does not use them safely. It needs to be said that the outcomes of some cases are unpredictable most of the time because it is a known fact that juries make questionable verdicts quite often (Lexington par. 6). It is especially true when it comes to huge corporations, and some of those decisions often shock society.

Most firms think that it is wise to settle the cases right away because they may receive unnecessary attention from the public, and trial expenses are often quite significant and should not be disregarded (“Tort on Stills” par. 4). It is highly unlikely that the same decision would be made if a small company was involved. Also, it is paramount to note that the number of such cases has increased dramatically after this one, and most of them are incredibly absurd. Most companies are ready to make necessary changes to ensure that the customers are satisfied.

Counter Argument

There is also another point of view that needs to be discussed. The reasoning behind such a decision is that McDonald’s knew about possible risks that are associated with this product but did not take necessary measures to warn customers about potential dangers. The company has received numerous complaints from customers over the years but did not address this issue because it was not viewed as something significant. There is also an argument that the temperature should be lower by approximately 10 degrees (Stout par. 19). Other restaurants in the area served much cooler drinks.

Rebuttal

However, it needs to be said that a complainant should have realized that it is a foreseeable risk that she takes, and it is rather evident that she is at fault. She suffered the damage because of her actions, and she was not careful enough to make sure that the cup is not tipped. She could have avoided such harm if she wiped out the liquid promptly. Also, it is imperative to note that some restaurants serve coffee that is even hotter than the one that McDonald’s offered. Companies don’t need to warn customers about dangers that are as obvious as this one. McDonald’s had to agree with the decision to protect business interests, and the image of the company is of utmost importance.

Works Cited

FAQ About the McDonald’s Coffee Case.Hotcoffeethemovie. n.d. Web.

Lexington. “The Economist. 2009. Web.

Stout, Hillary. “The NY Times. 2013. Web.

The Economist. 2001. Web.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2020, August 17). McDonald’s Hot Coffee Law Case and Unfair Verdict. https://ivypanda.com/essays/mcdonalds-hot-coffee-law-case-and-unfair-verdict/

Work Cited

"McDonald’s Hot Coffee Law Case and Unfair Verdict." IvyPanda, 17 Aug. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/mcdonalds-hot-coffee-law-case-and-unfair-verdict/.

References

IvyPanda. (2020) 'McDonald’s Hot Coffee Law Case and Unfair Verdict'. 17 August.

References

IvyPanda. 2020. "McDonald’s Hot Coffee Law Case and Unfair Verdict." August 17, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/mcdonalds-hot-coffee-law-case-and-unfair-verdict/.

1. IvyPanda. "McDonald’s Hot Coffee Law Case and Unfair Verdict." August 17, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/mcdonalds-hot-coffee-law-case-and-unfair-verdict/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "McDonald’s Hot Coffee Law Case and Unfair Verdict." August 17, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/mcdonalds-hot-coffee-law-case-and-unfair-verdict/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1