Woman sues McDonald’s after spilling coffee at drive-thru

A woman is suing McDonald’s after being scalded by a coffee that she bought at the drive-thru.

Mable Childress, a woman in her 80s, is suing the company after she allegedly spilled a cup of hot coffee onto her groin and legs, causing her to be burned and left in pain.

Childress has filed papers against the McDonald’s restaurant on Fillmore Street in San Francisco, claiming that employees working at the restaurant did not affix the lid of her coffee cup correctly.

The suit, filed last Thursday, alleges that Childress received the coffee without the lid fastened properly, before the drink spilled over and ‘caused her to suffer from severe burns and emotional distress’.

As a result of the spillage, she claims that she ‘continues to experience pain’ and scarring to her groin area, even months after the incident happened in June.

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Her lawyer, Dylan Hackett, told local media outlet SFGATE: “They did not properly cover the cup of coffee, and the coffee was also scalding.”

In addition to this, the suit also alleges that the McDonald’s staff did not give Childress any help at all after she was allegedly burned, ignoring her cries for help.

Hackett continued: “She was standing there for quite some time, around 20 to 25 minutes, asking for a manager.”

Childress is seeking an undisclosed amount in damages.

However, the owner of that particular McDonald’s franchise, Peter Ou, claims that Childress was offered help after the incident, and a report was made.

He stated that the incident was reported later that day and that staff and management at the restaurant ‘spoke to her within a few minutes and offered assistance’.

Ou added: “My restaurants have strict food safety protocols in place, including training crew to ensure lids on hot beverages are secure,

“We take every customer complaint seriously”

LADbible has contacted McDonald’s USA for comment.

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Over the years, many people have tried to sue McDonald’s for similar reasons.

In 1992, McDonald’s refused to pay $20,000 for hospital expenses after 79-year-old Stella Liebeck was allegedly left with third-degree burns from a spilled cup of coffee.

The jury ruled in favour of Liebeck and found that the coffee served had been 40 degrees hotter than usual.

McDonald’s was then ordered to pay $2.7 million in punitive damages to Liebeck, although that was later reduced to $480,000, and the settlement amount remained confidential.