From burned trousers to plus size trousers, we have seen an array of food based litigation concerning the fast food industry.
The landmark case in food based litigation against McDonald’s occurred in 1994 when Stella Liebecks suffered 3rd degree burns and a seven day hospital stay after being burned with the fast food chain’s coffee. Attorneys for McDonald’s refused any settlement offers and then the jury found them liable for 2.7M in punitive damages alone. On appeal, the judge reduced the amount of punitives to 480k.
Fast forward to 2002 when Caesar Barber filed a class action law suit in New York against McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, and Kentucky Fried Chicken- the first of its kind. He claimed eating regularly at the restaurants made him obese. He also asserted that the failure of these establishments to warn him of health risks associated with regular consumption caused him to suffer 2 heart attacks and diabetes. His attorney, Samuel Hirsch, discontinued the litigation in 2003 because he thought he had a much better chance at a suit involving children.
Those children were Jazlyn Bradley and Ashley Pelman. At 19 years old, Jazlyn weighed 270 pounds at 5-foot-7. Ashley, at only 14 years of age weighed 170 pounds at 4-foot-10. (more…)
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