Without skilled attorneys, this family would’ve faced a lifetime of trauma with no justice.
With the right legal team, they won over a billion dollars—and helped protect future lives.
Stella Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants (1994)
Although technically a burn case, it's often discussed in the context of car-related incidents because it occurred inside a vehicle and had a massive impact on civil liability law in the U.S.
Case Background:
79-year-old Stella Liebeck was sitting in her grandson’s parked car when she spilled a cup of McDonald’s coffee on her lap, causing third-degree burns.
Her medical bills exceeded $20,000.
She initially asked McDonald’s to cover her medical costs, but they only offered $800.
Lawyer Strategy:
Discovery revealed McDonald’s kept their coffee at 180–190°F, far hotter than typical home brews (130–150°F). They were aware of over 700 prior burn complaints.
The lawyer brought in medical experts to testify about the severity of the injuries.
Key argument: McDonald’s showed a reckless disregard for consumer safety.
Outcome:
Jury awarded $200,000 in compensatory damages (reduced to $160,000 due to shared fault).
$2.7 million in punitive damages was initially awarded (later reduced to $480,000).
Case eventually settled out of court.
Had a major impact on public awareness of corporate negligence and tort reform.
Anderson v. General Motors (1999)
Case Background:
The Anderson family suffered a fiery crash due to a fuel tank explosion in a GM pickup truck, leaving six members with severe burns.
Investigation found the truck had a design flaw that made side-impact explosions likely.
Lawyer Strategy:
Lawyers discovered GM knew about the issue for years and chose not to act.
Based the case on product liability and negligence.
Brought in engineering experts to testify that a safer design was possible at a reasonable cost.
Created video reenactments of the crash to stir emotional impact in court.
Outcome:
Jury awarded $4.9 billion in punitive damages (later reduced to $1.2 billion).
Became one of the most successful product defect cases in U.S. history.
GM later recalled and redesigned many affected vehicles, improving consumer safety.
AI-Assisted Content Disclaimer
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by a human for accuracy and clarity.