Get ready for more McDonald’s hot coffee lawsuits

It’s been a rough week for McDonald’s already. First, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is asking customers to boycott the Greenwich Village location of the fast food chain after a string of vicious fights in and outside the restaurant.

Now, 17 years after the infamous lawsuit that settled with McDonald’s paying $160,000 to a woman who was scalded with hot coffee, the burger giant is facing two more lawsuits for java burns.  The suits were filed on the same day last week in the Chicago area, according to Chicago Business.   

In one of the suits, a 4-year-old girl is the alleged victim. Lynn Abdelal was handed a cup of hot coffee to bring to her grandmother. The coffee spilled on her, causing second degree burns. The child was rushed to the hospital where her family was told she would have “permanent scarring.” The family is seeking $4 million from McDonald’s, claiming the child should never have been given the coffee in the first place.

The second suit was filed by 35-year-old Melissa Pettigrew who claims she suffered “horrific” burns on her thighs after spilling a cup of hot coffee from a drive-thru.

The style of McDonald’s coffee cups have come under fire by critics who claim it is prone to spills. The company has announced it is looking into different designs, but not for safety reasons. Instead, McDonald’s is seeking more Eco-friendly styles of cups.