Jmfryar, would you please explain the McDonalds case to a resident at the botttom of the world who isn't up with the details?
You said the coffee was at 200 degrees. Presumably that's Fahrenheit, so it's below boiling point. How else do you make coffee? What temperature do Stateside coffee percolators run at?
If the woman was seriously injured, then someone was remiss with the first aid, and possibly there is a cause for action there, but to say she sued because the coffee was hot simply exposes Stateside law to ridicule. But that's all the information we got here, and taken with my next tale, it's unfortunately believable.
Once upon a time I worked for the NZ branch of a Swiss multinational chemical company. I don't want to mention its name because this is a public forum, but I will pm it to you if you like.
The Stateside branch (I forget which city it was in) had to pay USD 1 million to a cyclist.
The cyclist was knocked over by a truck. He sued, as one does Stateside, and the trucking company went broke. So did its insurer. So who was left, who had any pockets at all? The big Swiss multinational, whose product was being carried on the truck as cargo.
Yes, I know lawyers too, and they are very fine people, even if their faith in the rule of law is a bit touching. You appear to have your heart in the right place jmf, so please don't think I'm getting at you, or even the U.S.
NZ's chief product is laws, and this was said by a magistrate in 18?? Nothing's changed since.
