Caution Contents Hot. It should be common knowledge that when one orders hot tea or coffee that the beverage tends to be hot. That is why when handling hot beverages one should be extra careful and not take a sip right away, or drive with coffee between one's legs. Retailers are getting "burned" with the amount of negligence cases regarding the beverage being too hot. This issue first became public knowledge in the case Liebeck v McDonalds in 1994. Liebeck was an 81 year old woman who was burned from the scalding temperature of her coffee. McDonald's claimed they were not liable, more that Liebeck should not put the coffee in her lap while driving. However, in the end of her trial Liebeck was granted $2.9 million.
Now a Starbucks in New York is being sued for selling hot tea. The New York woman claimed the tea was "unreasonably hot in containers that were unsafe". Just a side note, on the lid of Starbucks products there is a warning labeling "Caution Contents Hot". The woman suffered "great physical pain and mental anguish" in addition to the burns. Currently the woman seeks unspecified charges.
The list continues for the amount of negligence cases piling on top of various food companies. Society has become so accustomed to suing, that rarely do individuals reflect on whether they were the cause of their dispute. When a person is dealing with an ironing board, a straightener, a bowl of soup, they typically know how to handle these objects without getting burned. Same goes with beverages. Be careful with how you handle the drink. Touch the side, if it is too hot then wait a few minutes for it to cool down. The precautions one can take are self explanatory. Just be careful, wait for it to cool down or stick to iced coffee.
(All photos courtesy of Flickr)
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