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Woman Files Lawsuit Against Dunkin’ Saying Hot Coffee Burned Her Legs

burn injuries
Three decades after a jury awarded $3 million to a woman who said she was severely burned by hot coffee from McDonald’s, a New Jersey woman is suing Dunkin’ saying she was scalded by their coffee at a drive-thru. According to Inside Edition, Samantha Picklo said she sustained burn injuries over 30% of her body from the incident. Her husband said her legs were so badly scalded that skin was coming completely off her legs.

Burns Injuries from Hot Coffee

The incident occurred when Picklo ordered three black coffees to go at a store in Delran. An employee came outside to hand her a tray holding the coffees through the window of the car. Picklo told Inside Edition that even before she could get the cup carrier from the employee’s hands, it was falling forward. She said her pants absorbed the spilled coffee and were making the burns worse. So, she ripped them off and called 911. Police went inside the restaurant to question the man who served the coffee. He said Picklo was eating something when she placed the order, grabbed the coffee with one hand and spilled it on herself. Inside Edition tested a few cups of coffee served at Dunkin’ to see how hot it really is. One cup reached 169 degrees. Picklo said she has filed a lawsuit and wants the company to change the kind of trays they use to ones with taller sides and a handle on top.

The McDonald’s Hot Coffee Case

In 1992, 79-year-old Stella Liebeck bought a cup of takeout coffee at a McDonald’s drive-thru in Albuquerque and spilled it on her lap. She sued McDonald’s and a jury awarded her nearly $3 million in punitive damages for the burn injuries she suffered. That case prompted people to ask: Well, isn’t coffee supposed to be hot? The coffee was not just hot, but dangerously hot. McDonald’s corporate policy was to serve it at a temperature that could cause serious burn injuries within seconds. Liebeck’s injuries were severe. She suffered third-degree burns and required skin grafts. Also, her case wasn’t isolated. McDonald’s had received hundreds of reports of injuries from its coffee and had even paid settlements in some cases. While coffee is supposed to be hot, what makes a difference is whether or not it’s dangerously hot. Our personal injury lawyers will be watching this Dunkin’ case to see how it unfolds. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, it is important that you reach out to an experienced injury lawyer to obtain more information about pursuing your legal rights. Source: https://www.insideedition.com/new-jersey-woman-claims-dunkin-hot-coffee-severely-burned-her-lawsuit-74860  

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