Jahanvi Agarwal
A Florida jury has ordered McDonald’s to pay $800,000 (about 6.5 crores) in damages to the family of a girl who was allegedly burned by their chicken nugget. The girl’s parents filed the case, alleging that she had second-degree burns after a nugget dropped on her thighs in 2019.
According to NBC Miami, the jury passed a split verdict in May and blamed both McDonald’s and the franchise owner for the burns the girl named Olivia Caraballo suffered when she was four years old.
The jury finally reached a decision wherein they imposed a fine of $800,000 after considering for about two hours how much money the family should get for the child’s agony and suffering.
The girl’s mother stated that:
“I’m actually just happy they listened to Olivia’s voice and, the jury was able to decide a fair judgment, I’m happy with that.”
Advocates representing the family claimed that although they had requested $15 million, the decision was “fair and just”.
To prevent salmonella poisoning, nuggets must be sufficiently heated, according to McDonald’s testimony, and the business has no control over what happens to the meal once it leaves the drive-thru.
The advocate on behalf of the plaintiff made a statement that:
“This momentous decision brings meaningful closure to an arduous and protracted legal process. Having previously established the defendants, Upchurch Foods Inc and McDonald’s USA LLC, as liable for their wrongful actions, this verdict reaffirms that they must now face the consequences and provide full justice. Despite years of denying any fault and, during this trial, attempting to undermine the extent of Olivia’s suffering in the eyes of the community, their efforts have been superseded by the jury’s determination.”
The jury concluded that the absence of warnings on the meal resulted in the child’s injuries, despite the fact that both McDonald’s and Upchurch claimed during the trial that they were not at fault.