In 1994, a 79-year-old woman by the name of Stella Liebeck sued McDonald's because her coffee was too hot. This unusual case (Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants), which she won, by the way, is now famously known as the hot coffee lawsuit and is the reason why everything that is supposed to be hot reads "caution hot" nowadays.
In the end, Liebeck, who suffered from third-degree burns in her pelvic region, was awarded $2.86 million for punitive damages. Liebeck was hospitalized for eight days while she underwent skin grafting, followed by two years of medical treatment.
In this case, Liebeck's lawyer argued that McDonald's coffee was defective, claiming it was too hot (at 180 – 190 °F) to be consumed.
Fast forward to 2017, and we have Jacqueline Patton – a 37-year-old Whole Foods shopper who is suing Whole Foods because her tea was too hot and burned her hand when it spilled on her.
According to the suit, Whole Foods "carelessly, recklessly, and/or intentionally, sold and served excessively hot tea in a negligent and dangerous fashion to wit: the lid on the cup (dislodged) and its excessively hot contents spilled on the plaintiff."
"The hot tea had been heated beyond industry standards to the point where patrons could not safely consume it because it was not reasonably fit, suitable or safe for its intended purpose," the suit states.
Patton says that she was burned on various parts of her body and was painfully and permanently injured.
The suit was filed on behalf of Patton and her husband, Donovan, who claims he has lost the "services, society, and consortium of his wife."
