Georgia woman wins $3M settlement for hot coffee spill at Dunkin’ in 2021

A Georgia woman has been awarded $3 million in a lawsuit settlement after allegedly being severely burned by a piping-hot cup of coffee served to her at a Dunkin’ drive-thru.

Morgan & Morgan attorney Benjamin Welch said in a release that the 70-year-old woman had to relearn how to walk and still struggles with day-to-day activities, after she was served a scalding cup of Joe in February 2021.

“America may run on Dunkin, but our client had to re-learn how to walk due to the severity of her burns,” Welch said. “Her burns were so severe that she spent weeks in the burn unit at Grady Health and has had to entirely alter the way she lives her life. Walking still causes her pain, she can’t go out in the sun, and she must apply creams and ointments to her burns several times a day.”

According to Welch, the woman went to a Sugar Hill, Georgia, drive-thru Dunkin’ location and ordered a cup of hot coffee. 

After the employee handed her the coffee, the coffee cup lid came off, spilling coffee on her, causing second- and third-degree burns to her thighs, groin, and abdomen.

The woman’s injuries resulted in over $200,000 in medical bills, Welch said.

The lawsuit argues that the accident would not have occurred if the drive-thru employee had properly secured the lid on the coffee cup.

On Tuesday, Golden Donuts, LLC, the franchisee that operates the Dunkin’ location, agreed to a $3 million settlement to compensate the woman for her injuries and the negative impact on her life.

John Morgan, the founder of Morgan & Morgan, said that he hopes that this settlement to restaurants to prioritize customer safety.

“One of the most famous lawsuits in American history centers around scalding coffee that caused severe burns. Yet restaurants still have failed to learn their lesson to prioritize customers’ safety,” Morgan said. “We hope this settlement sends a message to all restaurants and franchisees: this isn’t complicated; train your employees properly and prioritize customer safety.”

Golden Donuts, LLC, and Inspire Brands, owner of Dunkin’ Brands, did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.