samTHE BUZZ!
The incident occurred when she was four years old.
She suffered 2nd degree burns when a hot chicken nugget dropped onto her lap in the car after her mother handed it to her in the back seat of their car.
Lawyers for her parents sued McDonald’s and the franchise owner, Upchurch Foods Inc., claiming that the company served the nuggets at an unreasonably high temperature and failed to warn customers about the dangers of hot food.
According to McDonald’s lawyers, the nugget would not exceed 160 degrees, which is the temperature they cook the nuggets to prevent salmonella poisoning. They also emphasized that the nuggets should not contact human skin for more than two minutes.
The Jury found Upchurch Foods Inc. liable for negligence. Also for failure to warn customers of the risks associated with hot food.
They say McDonald’s was responsible for failing to provide instructions on the safe handling of its items.
The family was awarded $800,000, which is significantly lower than the $15 million originally asked for.
