For many, the mention of personal injury lawyers evokes thoughts of a famous 1994 case in which Stella Liebeck, a 79-year-old woman from Albuquerque, New Mexico spilled hot McDonald's coffee on her lap. The case has frequently been cited as an example of individuals taking advantage of the justice system with frivolous law suits in hopes of a quick payday. However, the expert attorney in Los Angeles team at the Law Offices of Burg & Brock would like to shed some light on the facts of the case, many of which you may find surprising.
While many people believe Liebeck was driving her car when the spill occurred, leading to minor, superficial burns, this is actually far from the reality of the events. In fact, Liebeck was sitting in the passenger seat of her grandson's Ford Probe. He had pulled the car over so that Liebeck could add cream and sugar to her coffee. While attempting to pull the lid off, the entire cup of coffee poured into her lap, causing third-degree burns on 6% of her skin, and lesser burns over 16%. It doesn't take an expert vehicle accident lawyer like Cameron Y. Brock to know that this is simply unacceptable.
Liebeck was not seeking a massive settlement, either, but simply $20,000 to cover her medical expenses. It was not until McDonald's refused to pay more than $800 that Liebeck's attorney Reed Morgan countered with a higher settlement amount. On August 18th, 1994, a jury found McDonald's 80% responsible for the incident, and awarded Liebeck an eventual total of $160,000, and $480,000 in punitive damages.
For many, the particulars of the case come as a surprise. Liebeck is far from the greedy, careless individual she was made out to be, but was very much a victim who suffered tremendously due to the negligence of a major corporation. It was thanks to attorney like those found at the Law Offices of Burg & Brock, Liebeck was eventually compensated for her pain. If you two have been unfairly victimized, contact the Law Offices of Burg & Brock today.
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