V.I.D.E.O.S.: Hot Coffee

Let's say that you go down to your local McDonald's or your local Dunkin Donuts.  You go through the Drive-Thru and order a medium hot coffee, cream and sugar.  Just like you have many times before.  But now look at the cup, and look for the saying that many companies now print on the cup.  That little saying that says "Contents Hot" or "Contents May Be Extremely Hot".  Ever wonder what made McDonald's or Dunkin Donuts print that?  The court case is the basis for this fascinating documentary.

Hot Coffee, is a documentary about the liability lawsuits, particularly, this infamous lawsuit about a woman who spilled hot coffee on herself and then sued McDonald's.  Now let me first ask you this question: If you knew a person, who spilled hot coffee on themselves and then sued McDonald's for money, what would you think about that person?  Now, remember that answer, for later and for when you end up watching this Doc.

This stunning documentary was one of the most memorable films I've seen in a while.  It's currently streaming on Netflix, if you have an account, and is probably one of the most eye-opening films about liability suits and tort reform.  I should warn you that there is a very graphic image in the documentary that is part of the lawsuit, and might make some people nauseous.

What is meant by liability suits is when the little guy can sue the big guy in the event that something goes wrong, with anything.  Medical issues, product issues, accidents, and pretty much anything under the sun.  Now, in the documentary we see more than just the one lawsuit of of Leibeck Vs. McDonald's.  We get a long and rich history about what the little guy has been able to do, and in one of the unfortunate cases, we see what has become of the little guy when they are up against the biggest businesses.

Now there are two sides to this coin.  There is the often complaint of frivolous lawsuits and the idea of everyone being able to sue anyone over anything.  In fact, I'm willing to say that an argument such as this would be something that could be brought up at a party, but won't get anyone really upset.  The discussion would be very interesting because across all different avenues, you could an argument for the little guy and for big business.  It walks that fine line.  Unless of course, you're at a party hosted by a lawyer who has strong convictions on such a thing.

But after viewing this movie, you'll definitely think more about product design, liability coverage, insurance lawsuits, and how much money is at stake when something is involved in liability coverage.  I recommend that you write down your thoughts on what you think of the person who sued McDonald's for spilling their hot coffee and then see if you're a changed person when the credits role.