Product Liability Lawyers: Three of the Biggest Product Liability Cases in US History

Flahavan Law Offices: Thousand Oaks Product Liability Lawyers


When a faulty product is bought and it causes injury, the user has the right to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer. There are a number of famous product liability cases in the United States that changed the way in which we scrutinize product safety. All of these cases have one thing in common: great product liability lawyers. Regardless of the size of a product, the effects of a product liability case can have far reaching effects. Some feel that some product liability cases are ridiculous and ridicule those that have been injured. However, a faulty product can injury anyone that happens to use it. Here are three of the biggest product liability cases in US history.

Liebeck v McDonald’s

This is one of the most famous cases in US history, and it has been mocked by sitcoms and comedians ever since. Stella Liebeck, a 79-year-old grandmother, burned the insides of her thighs and buttocks when she spilled scalding hot McDonald’s coffee on her lap in 1992. The third-degree burns required $200,000 of medical treatment. The grandmother simply wanted McDonald’s to pay for the medical treatment and reduce the temperature of the coffee it served.

McDonald’s coffee had been served at 180 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit to Liebeck, which was far hotter than coffee served at other restaurants. Despite Liebeck only seeking compensation for her medical bills, a jury awarded her around $2.86 million.

Unfortunately, the public held her in infamy afterwards as the original story was misconstrued by the media. Many people still see Liebeck as the ringleader to absurd lawsuits today.

Bullock v Phillip Morris

Diagnosed with lung cancer, 68-year-old Betty Bullock filed a lawsuit against tobacco giant Phillip Morris. Bullock stressed that tobacco companies were behind her lung cancer and her addiction to smoking. She also claimed that the companies did nothing to warn her of the hazards of smoking when she started as a 17-year-old. The original settlement was for $28 billion in punitive damages with another $850,000 for compensatory damages. Nearly a decade later, the punitive damages were reduced to $28m. Bullock died in 2003.

Owens Corning Asbestos

Asbestos was once used due to its insulation properties and was packed into buildings to prevent the cold from getting in. Unfortunately, asbestos is a very dangerous product that causes scarring on the lungs along with cancer and mesothelioma. In the 1990s, it seemed that asbestos news and lawsuits hit the headlines hard, as the real facts about the product became widely known.

In 1998, Owens Corning paid out $1.2 billion after it was alleges that the company’s products caused mesothelioma in workers and people exposed to the product. Unbelievably, 176,000 people were involved in the case against the company.

Flahavan Law Offices | Ventura County Product Liability Lawyers

If you or a loved one has experienced an injury from a defective product and the medical expenses that come with it, contact Flahavan Law Offices. Flahavan Law Offices specializes in personal injury law and can give you advice on product liability claims. Flahavan Law Offices is here to help with all your personal injury law needs.

When a faulty product is bought and it causes injury, the user has the right to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer. There are a number of famous product liability cases in the United States that changed the way in which we scrutinize product safety. All of these cases have one thing in common: great product liability lawyers. Regardless of the size of a product, the effects of a product liability case can have far reaching effects. Some feel that some product liability cases are ridiculous and ridicule those that have been injured. However, a faulty product can injury anyone that happens to use it. Here are three of the biggest product liability cases in US history.

Liebeck v McDonald’s

This is one of the most famous cases in US history, and it has been mocked by sitcoms and comedians ever since. Stella Liebeck, a 79-year-old grandmother, burned the insides of her thighs and buttocks when she spilled scalding hot McDonald’s coffee on her lap in 1992. The third-degree burns required $200,000 of medical treatment. The grandmother simply wanted McDonald’s to pay for the medical treatment and reduce the temperature of the coffee it served.

McDonald’s coffee had been served at 180 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit to Liebeck, which was far hotter than coffee served at other restaurants. Despite Liebeck only seeking compensation for her medical bills, a jury awarded her around $2.86 million.

Unfortunately, the public held her in infamy afterwards as the original story was misconstrued by the media. Many people still see Liebeck as the ringleader to absurd lawsuits today.

Bullock v Phillip Morris

Diagnosed with lung cancer, 68-year-old Betty Bullock filed a lawsuit against tobacco giant Phillip Morris. Bullock stressed that tobacco companies were behind her lung cancer and her addiction to smoking. She also claimed that the companies did nothing to warn her of the hazards of smoking when she started as a 17-year-old. The original settlement was for $28 billion in punitive damages with another $850,000 for compensatory damages. Nearly a decade later, the punitive damages were reduced to $28m. Bullock died in 2003.

Owens Corning Asbestos

Asbestos was once used due to its insulation properties and was packed into buildings to prevent the cold from getting in. Unfortunately, asbestos is a very dangerous product that causes scarring on the lungs along with cancer and mesothelioma. In the 1990s, it seemed that asbestos news and lawsuits hit the headlines hard, as the real facts about the product became widely known.

In 1998, Owens Corning paid out $1.2 billion after it was alleges that the company’s products caused mesothelioma in workers and people exposed to the product. Unbelievably, 176,000 people were involved in the case against the company.

Flahavan Law Offices | Ventura County Product Liability Lawyers

If you or a loved one has experienced an injury from a defective product and the medical expenses that come with it, contact Flahavan Law Offices. Flahavan Law Offices specializes in personal injury law and can give you advice on product liability claims. Flahavan Law Offices is here to help with all your personal injury law needs.