Allentown Personal Injury Law: Tales of Compassion & Triumph

While there’s no doubt that there exist certain individuals in the world that actively try to harm others, most of the human population does not suffer from such inflictions. However, whether there was an intent or not, is it just for one person to suffer for another’s mistake or negligence? Too technical? Well, consider the example of an accident where someone was texting while driving. Now, should the driver be held accountable or not? While some, including the driver, might argue that since there wasn’t an intent to cause harm, there shouldn’t be any punishment. Michael Cardamone, a personal injury lawyer in Allentown, PA, holds a different opinion. And different though it may be, his opinion is strongly aligned with this nation’s code of law and ethics.

Simply put, the matter of the fact is that despite being important, intent doesn’t spell the end all be all of a situation. Often, one has to be mindful of the consequences of their actions and how they may affect others. But this time, rather than looking over a fictitious example, let’s focus on some real-world examples recommended by the consulting Allentown personal injury lawyer.

The Infamous McDonald’s Coffee Case

Portrayed by the McDonald’s Corporation as a great travesty of American freedom, this David versus Goliath story presents an excellent situation for understanding the ins and outs of tort claims. The case also clears up a few misconceptions and stereotypes about the ethical issues of negligence laws. Furthermore, it highlights the extent of the negative smear campaign that was carried out by the McDonald’s restaurant chain to manipulate for themselves public sympathy and for 79 years of burnt victim hatred.

Background

The plaintiff of this story, or rather the protagonist, is one Stella May Liebeck, who on 27^th February 1992 had severe third-degree burns on her body (including the genital area) and lesser burns covering 60% of her body. The burns were caused by 49-cent McDonald’s coffee when in an attempt to remove the lid, she accidentally spilled.

Furthermore, per the wishes of the consulting Allentown injury lawyer, here are the events leading up to and after the incident.

·       The plaintiff, Stella, was sitting in the passenger’s seat of her car while her grandson was in the driver’s seat. Stella Liebeck, trying to mix in some sugar and cream, held the cup between her thighs and pulled the lid from the far end towards her – causing it to spill over her.

·       The 79-year-old Stella Liebeck was quickly taken to the hospital, where the degree of her burns was determined. She remained there for 8 days while undergoing skin grafting.

Settlement Attempts

Stella had incurred over $10,050 in medical expenses. And because her treatment was still ongoing, she asked McDonald’s for assistance. The settlement amount that was asked for was $20,000 for anticipated medical expenses; however, McDonald’s only offered her $800.

Following such a disrespectful response, 79-year-old Stella hired an attorney and told McDonald’s that she would be suing them for selling coffee that was ‘unreasonably dangerous’ and ‘defectively manufactured’. According to Michael Cardamone, a personal injury lawyer in Allentown, McDonald’s further refused a settlement offer of $90,000 by Stella’s attorney and a $225,000 settlement recommended by the pre-trial mediator.

Trial Result and Aftermath

The trial concluded with the jury offering Stella $160,000 in compensatory damages and $2.7 million in punitive damages. The punitive damages were later reduced by the judge to three times the compensatory damages. As per the consulting injury lawyer of Allentown, both parties eventually settled for an undisclosed amount.

However, McDonald’s wasn’t through with the case yet and smeared the poor woman’s name as much as possible. Many other corporations and companies also joined in on the slander and severely twisted and manipulated the information to show poor-old Stella as the devil in disguise.

Don’t Fall for The Lies

According to some of the top Allentown injury lawyers, Stella Liebeck was in the right and a jury of her peers so that she got her dues. So, don’t fall for all the lies and allegations that continue even to this day. And lastly, if you’ve also suffered due to someone else’s negligence don’t be afraid to ask for your just compensation. Simply pick up the phone and call Michael Cardamone, a top personal injury lawyer in Allentown, for free consultations.