Since 2001, we have helped over 500,000 people with their Illinois legal matters. Contact us for a free case review any time at 312-346-5320. We cover all of Illinois.
There is probably no personal injury lawsuit more famous than the case where a woman was badly burned after spilling McDonald’s hot coffee on herself. People wrongly assume it was a frivolous lawsuit and a sign that massive reform to the legal system was/is needed.
The reality was that documents showed that McDonald’s was making their coffee too hot for safety because it made them more money since it would last longer. In other words, they knew that they were putting customers at risk. In this case the lid was not on correctly and the elderly woman who was badly burned on her thighs needed multiple surgical procedures.
Since that case happened a long time ago, not much has changed other than there are now hundreds of options of where to get hot coffee from. And as a result there have been a lot of spills, burns and lawsuits.
Now nobody is suing, or at least no successfully, if they remove the lid themselves and drop coffee on their lap. In those cases, they would likely be found to be at least 50% at fault which would mean there would be no recovery.
But in plenty of cases, lids are malfunctioning or not properly sealed by the workers who are handing you the coffee. Those shops are often a fast paced environment, especially the ones that are drive through only and feel pressure to get to the next customer. It might be a young teen doing the work and not being as careful as required.
And of course, the product they are providing is inherently dangerous because it is a very hot liquid. As a result, if hot coffee, tea or something else spills on you and burns you to the point that you need medical treatment, you likely have a good lawsuit.
And while those types of cases were previously mocked, if the evidence shows the lid was not on strongly enough or the store was otherwise negligent in some way, insurance companies are routinely settling these cases.
Now most cases will not settle for millions like the famous McDonald’s claim. That case was unique due to the hidden corporate documents that were exposed. But it is not at all uncommon for these spills to be worth in the five or six figures depending on the case facts and the medical treatment you received.
If this happened to you or someone you know, we recommend reputable, experienced Illinois personal injury attorneys who have a track record of success with similar cases. In other words, if we refer you to them, it will not be the first hot coffee injury case they have handled. This case make your case worth more and be more likely to succeed.
If you would like a free case review, please contact us any time at 312-346-5320. We do not guarantee a result, but do promise that we will give an honest evaluation of your claim and only refer you to someone we would recommend to family members or friends.
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Other Things To Know About Illinois Coffee Spill Lawsuits
Here are five things we think you should know:
- In most cases there is a two year time limit for filing a lawsuit with exceptions being for people under 18 or if the defendant is a Government agency.
- Getting timely medical care is extremely important. You can not prove an injury otherwise. Don’t go to the doctor if you don’t need to, but if you are hurt, go ASAP.
- There is no fee to hire an attorney for a case like this. Every attorney we recommend works on a contingency basis which means they only get paid if they are successful for you.
- Do not post on social media if this happens to you. All of those statements could be used against you.
- If you do not have medical insurance, we usually can suggest an attorney who can connect you with a reputable doctor who will wait until the case is resolved to be paid.
