A NEW Jersey couple is suing Dunkin Donuts after a hot coffee allegedly caused severe burns when it spilled on the man’s lap.
Evan Arlington and Stephanie Arlington-Macias bought two cups of coffee and an iced coffee from a Totowa Dunkin Donuts drive-thru in August of 2021.
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Evan allegedly suffered second-and third-degree burns after the coffee spilled in his lap at the drive-thru, the couple’s attorney, William Gold, told the New York Post.
The lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of Passaic County on April 4.
Evan had medical bills, and Stephanie claims she suffered “a loss of her husband’s aid, comfort, conjugal fellowship, and consortium.”
The lawsuit alleges, “plaintiff Evan Arlington has been severely injured, has suffered and in the future will suffer great pain and mental anguish, was forced to and in the future will be forced to expend money for medical and hospital care, has suffered and in the future will suffer a loss of income and has otherwise suffered permanent injury.”
The couple is seeking an unknown amount for the damages.
The US Sun has reached out the Dunkin Donuts for comment.
This case is similar to the McDonald’s hot coffee lawsuit of 1994, where the burger chain was sued over the high temperature of its coffee.
Stella Liebeck was 79 in 1992 when her grandson drove her to McDonald’s in Albuquerque. The car was parked when she spilled the coffee on her lap.
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Liebeck acknowledge the spill was her fault but took issue with how hot the coffee was.
The drink was 190 degrees Fahrenheit, near boiling point. It caused third-degree burns on her legs and genitals, nearly killing her and requiring extensive surgery to treat.
In the decade before the lawsuit, McDonald’s had received 700 reports about injuries caused by the incredibly hot coffee.
The restaurant claimed customers liked it that way and continued to serve it, even after admitting it was a hazard.
Liebeck wanted the fast-food chain to pay for her medical bills, estimated at $20,000, but McDonald’s offered just $600.
A jury concluded that McDonald’s handling of its coffee was so irresponsible that Liebeck should get nearly $2.9 million.
Liebeck settled for less than $600,000, and McDonald’s changed its rules on the temperature it serves coffee.
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