The story of McDonalds and its legal disputes with consumers appear to be far from over. This time, the case involved a 4-year-old girl from the United States who suffered second-degree burns after a hot Chicken McNugget landed on her leg.
While jurors found both the franchisee and McDonald's at fault, the fast food company defended itself, saying it followed all safety and cooking protocols.
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But the truth is that cases like this have become increasingly common, raising questions about the responsibility of companies to ensure food safety and consumer protection. After all, people are paying for the product and have a right to expect it to be safe to consume.
McDonald's has been the target of lawsuits before
Cases of burns from hot food are nothing new in the history of McDonald's. The famous hot coffee lawsuit of the 1990s is a classic example of how companies can be held liable for injuries that occur as a direct result of their business practices.
In case you don't know the story, Stella Liebeck, an 81-year-old woman, suffered third-degree burns in 1992. The incident occurred when she spilled hot coffee she had bought at a McDonald's drive-thru onto her lap, while trying to open the lid to add cream.
Due to the severe burns on her legs, groin and buttocks, she had to be hospitalized for over a week. A New Mexico jury later awarded her $2.7 million in punitive damages.
It is important for companies to be aware of these risks and work to ensure that consumers are protected from injury or damage caused by their products.
Restaurants need to follow protocols and ensure consumer safety
The verdict is a reminder that companies need to be diligent about ensuring the security of their products and services, and that they cannot be complacent when it comes to the security of consumers.
With the sentence still to come, it is important that companies take this case as a wake-up call to invest more in employee training and food safety protocols. After all, consumers deserve to be assured that they are safe when consuming your products and services.
