Or not, I guess changing my username for a post doesn't let me do that

Um.. why was the cup in your lap to begin with? Wasn't there a table or something you could have put it instead?

Imagine the cup in front of OP's lap. When OP moved the cup, the distracted server poured where it had been, hitting the table, and splashing down into OP's lap.

When you mentioned that it was your first time with coffee, I checked your age. By bar, do you mean the stools at a coffee shop, or a real bar with alcohol and they just happen to serve coffee? If you meant real bar, then your sibling is a horrible person for bringing a 14 year old to a bar in a first place. Also, I would suggest Tim Hortons.

very bad first experience with coffee.

#89 it sounds like you answered your own question as I don't know many bars that even allow anyone inside a bar under 21

Some do, especially if they serve other things besides alcohol. Instead of carding you at the door, they card you if you order an alcoholic beverage.

A server should know better to ever risk pouring a hot beverage over somebody ever. This was not your fault.

Pretty much all bars in USA that are not in a casino allow people under age to eat and sit at the bar.

really? I've been denied access to the bar area in family restaurants .o.

I dunno, I was allowed in. The bar had other beverages besides alcohol, obviously.

And I'm still amazed she got anything at all. Sure, the coffee was too hot, but the fact that she had it in her lap at all (And not in a cup holder) makes it entirely her fault. A 100% preventable accident and she got a ton of cash for it. Downvote me all you want. My opinion is my opinion.

Okay but there were literally no cup holders. This was the 90s. Her grandson was driving, and they were in a parking space (read: stationary) when she opened the lid of the coffee and it splashed all over her. She had burns so severe that she needed reconstructive surgery. There was absolutely no reason for the coffee to be that hot. It's fine to have your opinion, but you should probably consult the facts first.

It's annoying how so many people don't know the actual story behind the McDonald's coffee incident.

As far as I remember, McDonalds offered an insane amount of money for her (more than 4 mio. $.), but she wanted just enough to cover her hospital bills.

And a good one at that

I agree to a point, but after having to research this for school I see why she got the money. The difference in the temperature of the coffee from what it was supposed to be was the difference in mild burns and her needing surgery. McDonalds was very clearly in the wrong and responsible for her burns being so severe. I dont remember exactly, but I think it was like 1st degree vs 3rd degree burns based on how hot the coffee should have vs what it was...

she didnt actually originally even want to sue McDonald's but she said there was no way she was going to be able to afford her reconstructive sugeries. and she never expected to get that much back.

Also even though the original judgement sounded large, it got decreased a lot on the appeal and she had tons of lawyers fees and doctor bills, so she really didn't come up or anything. I'm sure she would have rather had normal temperature coffee than endure the whole ordeal for what little she ended up with.

I don't understand the thumbs down, it's a true story nor was I insisting that do it

Probably because they way you phrased your comment made it sound like you thought the McDonald's lady was being greedy and suing for no good reason when, as others have said, she was perfectly entitled to sue.

AviKerensky Please, please go back and read the actual facts behind the original hot coffee case. McDonalds had their coffee at an unreasonably hot temperature. It was something like almost twice as hot as it should have been. They had it at that temperature despite the fact that they themselves had specifically done studies to learn that people in the drive thru want to be able to drink their coffee right away. Which had she done so the damage to her mouth and throat would have been ungodly. They had multiple prior complaints about the temperature from customers. Multiple complaints about their own employees dropping coffee on people as they passed it over in the drive thru. She was in a parking space. It took about three seconds for the coffee to go through her pants straight down through the muscles in her legs doing majors damage that required reconstructive surgery. That's not just hot, that's basically molten. She didn't want to sue them. She was in talks with them for a year or so before things went to court because she could not afford the hospital bills and such. Plus in the end she actually got almost nothing because of the constant appeals and all the fees. Everyone wants to focus on the hot coffee but not the fact that it was no where near a consumable temperature and that as part of the ruling they were ordered to lower their coffees temperature to something that people could actually drink sooner than two hours after ordering it.

No, she wanted just her bills paid - mcd's said no so she had no choice but to go to court. She sued for the cost of them, but the jury awarded her way more for all the bullshit she went through and because it had come to light that the company was told repeatedly (due to other incidents) there was no need for their coffee to be that hot. Ever.

If you are mad about the coffee lawsuit, don't look up the one about the idiots that choked on the plastic wrap on the Kraft cheese slices, those people are morons.. Don't eat things covered in plastic.. Hot coffee spilling is much more legitimate than a fat ass who ate plastic covered cheese slices...

@74 shit, accidentally down voted but meant to up vote because I agree