Couple Sues Walmart

[boatdoc]

Originally Posted by jdthor

My deputies provide security for our Wal-Mart during high risk hours. The Corporation takes an aggressive stance on civil suits since the stores are prime spots for phony "slip and fall" suits. Win or lose I would not be surprised to see the Corporation set a "no overnight stay" policy which is what the original poster was suggesting.

Hi jdthor;
You are so very right. Seems that not a single good deed goes unpunished. This freebie parking is out of the picture with this law suit.
Thanks, "Boatdoc"

[lewster]

Agreed!

There always seems to be someone who wants to drink at the through for free, or better yet, have YOU pay them to do so! I don't often stay in a WM parking lot while on the road, but they sure resemble RV parks in some areas with the sheer number of RVers that stop there for the night.

It always seems to be someone else's fault when something goes wrong and lawsuits start flying. Sounds like the Macdonalds hot coffee fiasco!!

JD, that's a great service that you offer in your area. THANKS!... even though I have never stayed there.

[Crusty]

The fact that's never mentioned about the hot coffee scalding suit is that investigators went into the McDonald's after the incident and measured the temperature of the coffee there and it was 210º F, just 2º degrees below boiling. That seems way too hot to me and no doubt it resulted in significant burns to the elderly woman who experienced it.

[easyride]

Originally Posted by Crusty

The fact that's never mentioned about the hot coffee scalding suit is that investigators went into the McDonald's after the incident and measured the temperature of the coffee there and it was 210º F, just 2º degrees below boiling. That seems way too hot to me and no doubt it resulted in significant burns to the elderly woman who experienced it.

Also McDonald`s had been warned before that their coffee was too hot,they turned it down for a while,but people were complaining their coffee was cold when they got to their office,so they turned it back up. Dave

[masseyfarm]

Coffee is no good unless its hot!
I would think, if you drink coffee, one might have figured that out by now.
Dave

[noreen&sal]

Coffee. Either steamin hot or icy cold. No in-between. Sal.

[Dave Park]

Originally Posted by drew05

I'm not taking sides, but like the McDonald's 'hot coffee' incident, is going after 'deep pocket' solutions right?

I'm sorry but I don't see the comparison. I have some personal knowledge of that case, and people often think this woman was stupid and went after the deep pockets.

She went to a company that sells millions of cups of coffee to people in moving cars. They knew that even with good care by every customer, occasionally there might be a spill. However, they set the temperature of the coffee they delivered WAY too hot - so hot that when she accidentally spilled the coffee into her lap as she was trying to remove the lid to add the sugar and milk, she received 3rd degree burns to 6% of her skin area and 2nd degree burns to a further 16% of her skin area. (I don't mean to be graphic, but the burns were so severe that she ended up having to have certain important lady-parts removed. 'nuff said.) She was hospitalized for eight days to receive skin grafts. She tried hard to negotiate an out of court settlement of $20,000 just to cover past and future medical costs and lost work, and when McD's offered her $800, she sued for the money. The jury awarded her $2.86m, which the Judge reduced to $640,000 (which was still far more than she had claimed). $2.86m was two days of income from coffee sales at McD's.

During the time leading up to this case, over 700 people had previously been burned by McD's coffee so severely that it was brought to the attention of the company. Following the case, McD's reduced the temperature of coffee served at the drive-through window.

[Roadrunner]

So here is the obvious solution...certain Walmarts set aside a number of sites with card operated electric hook-ups. Maybe even have dump facilities. The sites could be in a more secure area with increased security. Since many RVers seem to regard Walmart as a campgound (slides out, awnings up, lounges out)...perhaps Walmart starts charging as such! Maybe put in a pool, fire rings, a horseshoe pit......

Bob
TAC PA-5
WBCCI 4871

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Roadrunner

So here is the obvious solution...certain Walmarts set aside a number of sites with card operated electric hook-ups. Maybe even have dump facilities. The sites could be in a more secure area with increased security. Since many RVers seem to regard Walmart as a campgound (slides out, awnings up, lounges out)...perhaps Walmart starts charging as such! Maybe put in a pool, fire rings, a horseshoe pit......

Bob
TAC PA-5
WBCCI 4871

Tear out some of the asphalt so there could be grass at each site.
The pay electric is bad idea. After all they owe this to us because we buy a cup of coffee in the AM. Oh, I forgot, I quit drinking coffee. Well then, they owe it to us because other campers who do buy stuff see us there and camp there too.

I guess I am just a snob. Even with all these amenities, I have yet to see a Wal-Mart where I would care to spend the night.

Regards,

Ken

[Minnie's Mate]

Originally Posted by Crusty

The fact that's never mentioned about the hot coffee scalding suit is that investigators went into the McDonald's after the incident and measured the temperature of the coffee there and it was 210º F, just 2º degrees below boiling. That seems way too hot to me and no doubt it resulted in significant burns to the elderly woman who experienced it.

Originally Posted by Dave Park

I'm sorry but I don't see the comparison. I have some personal knowledge of that case, and people often think this woman was stupid and went after the deep pockets.

She went to a company that sells millions of cups of coffee to people in moving cars. They knew that even with good care by every customer, occasionally there might be a spill. However, they set the temperature of the coffee they delivered WAY too hot - so hot that when she accidentally spilled the coffee into her lap as she was trying to remove the lid to add the sugar and milk, she received 3rd degree burns to 6% of her skin area and 2nd degree burns to a further 16% of her skin area. (I don't mean to be graphic, but the burns were so severe that she ended up having to have certain important lady-parts removed. 'nuff said.) She was hospitalized for eight days to receive skin grafts. She tried hard to negotiate an out of court settlement of $20,000 just to cover past and future medical costs and lost work, and when McD's offered her $800, she sued for the money. The jury awarded her $2.86m, which the Judge reduced to $640,000 (which was still far more than she had claimed). $2.86m was two days of income from coffee sales at McD's.

During the time leading up to this case, over 700 people had previously been burned by McD's coffee so severely that it was brought to the attention of the company. Following the case, McD's reduced the temperature of coffee served at the drive-through window.

I forget the source, but I thought I had read that this woman was in her late 70's and put the cup of coffee between her knees and spilled the coffee when she pulled the lid off. I could be wrong about all of the details though as I thought the law-suit to be frivolous at the time.

[Dave Park]

She was 79, her name was Stella Liebeck. Your description is entirely accurate.

The case number was Stella Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants, P.T.S., Inc. and McDonald's International, Inc. 1995 WL 360309 (D.N.M. 1994)

Details here.

[Kathleenh]

Whatever happens, a judge will decide and let us hope he/she uses common sense. If Wally World loses, we can count on not being allowed to stay overnight in their parking lots.

[Mike Leary]

Originally Posted by Kathleenh

If Wally World loses, we can count on not being allowed to stay overnight in their parking lots.

Excuse me, but who cares to stay? We're on a fixed income, but we can always afford a quiet, safe campground without hallide lights beating through the windows. This thread has about run it's course, by the way, much like the poor taste shooting thread.

[rock60]

you tell um Mike

[wingfoot321]

If you are trying to travel a significant distance in a day, Walmart can be very convienent for gas, food, misc items, and time. Some of these campgrounds are very difficult to find at night.
This summer it was 2700 miles to Dawson creek to join up with our caravan. A 400 mile day at my speed can push well into the evening before we arrive.

[Nuvite-F]

Originally Posted by Mike Leary

Excuse me, but who cares to stay? We're on a fixed income, but we can always afford a quiet, safe campground. . .

You mean like this one?

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f161/check-cnn-news-trailer-park-violence-airstream-72739.html
.

[WineStream]

I have not been following the details of the shoting story in my home state. But, I sincerely hope that just because the offending person was residing in an Airstream does not bring it to the forefront of our attention. It could have been any brand of camper. As is the case with the Wal-Mart suit or the McDonalds suit that have been mentioned here, there's an idiot somewhere. In the shooting situation, he just happened to take up residence in one of our beloved brand of camper.

As for Wal-Mart, I hope that they follow suit with McDonalds once all is said and done. McDonalds didn't stop serving coffee, I hope that Wal-Mart doesn't lay down a corporate-wide "no overnight parking" ban. I hope they see what McDonalds did...pay the penalty, make an adjustment, and go on with life. Outlawing the act is not the solution and you can't outlaw the idiots. So the only solution is to pay and then conform. Then again, maybe it will never get to that point and someone involved in the case will have some sanity and bring things to a non-public halt.

For the record...anyone getting ANY drink, hot or cold, who chooses to place said drink between their legs and remove the lid (which removes significant circular rigidity to the cup) is asking to have it spilled on them. I don't seek revenge or wish conscious ill effects on anyone, but self-inflicted results of idiocy are not to be repaid by someone else.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, I have never camped out in a Wal-Mart parking lot; We tried twice and this is what we ran into [one in Oregon and one in Utah] ...............................

[masseyfarm]

Camping security is always a concern for my BH. Guess she thinks my 10.5 boot is not big enough.
One thing she insists on is that the door step be retracted at night. With the Clipper being up off the ground, it would be difficult for an intruder to get the leverage to attempt entry, or do damage without some effort. (Most of these guys I would think have little ambition and would prefer an easy target). Having travelled a large portion of N America, and overnighting in CG's and remote and urban locations, I am happy to say we have never felt threatened. We generally try to avoid the big cites, only because they are not a great attraction for us.
May we all have a great travel year.

Dave

[Kathleenh]

Oh, Mikey, lighten up. If people are traveling long distances and just want to park for the night en route to their destination, Wal-mart parking is a real convenience. It has the added advantage of having supplies for sale, food and a ladies' room. We haven't availed ourselves of this convenience but it is nice to know we can, if need be.

The town I grew up in had a country club which allowed us kids to go sledding down their terrific hill. One kid got hurt, his parents sued and guess what? No more sledding down the hill. The club's insurance company wouldn't allow it. If Wal-Mart's insurers decide not to cover them in the event they are sued, trust me, they will close up shop to RVers.