Exactly the sort of thing that baffles me. I mean, - #106046140 added by secretmouse at Wet floor

#2 - prototypedaytona

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(11/16/2013) [-]

I saw one of these things in the ******* shower in my gym locker room. I don't even... like, why?

#20 to #2 - british

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(11/16/2013) [-]

"I don't even"

#4 to #2 - secretmouse

Reply +7 123456789123345869

(11/16/2013) [-]

For the same reason that companies have to put 'Caution: Filling may be hot' and the like on products such as hot pockets. Because as ridiculous as such warnings may seem, it's a preventative measure against lawsuits.

#7 to #4 - loopymoomoo

Reply +1 123456789123345869

(11/16/2013) [-]

that was at a tim hortons i think, some lady burnt her mouth on a coffee and sued them for it

#8 to #7 - secretmouse

Reply +2 123456789123345869

(11/16/2013) [-]

Exactly the sort of thing that baffles me.

I mean, honestly...

If I buy a coffee, it had best be hot, because that's what I paid for: A nice hot cup of coffee.
I'm not going to sue the company if I burnt myself due to my own personal negligence. If the cup bottom gave out or something that would be a separate thing altogether.

I don't understand how such people actually win the court case.

#23 to #8 - ainise

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(11/16/2013) [-]

Anything over 130 degress needs to be marked with a warning, as it is a burn hazard. Coffee shouldn't be served over 160 degrees - because if any of it spills on your skin, it's unrealistic to be removed prior to causing burns.
180 degrees is just flat out ridiculous. She sustained 3rd degree burns before she could remove her pants, ending in $20,000 worth of damages. It is an unsafe product.

P.S.: She offered 4 times to settle out of court, 3 times for reasonable amounts covering basically all of the values up to that point. She offered to settle originally for $20,000 (Total assumed costs for her at that point were $18,000) They counter offered for $800. Later she was looking to settle for $80,000 - again shot down. Just before the trial she offered $300,000, the mediator said $225,000 was fair - McDonalds declined. She received $640,000 in the end.

There were over $500,000 worth of lawsuits involving this prior, this lawsuit is just the most well known. They knew they were selling a dangerously hot product, and refused to change. **** them.

#25 to #23 - secretmouse

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(11/16/2013) [-]

Point taken.

There are some pretty inane warnings on products though.

Like, to take a pizza out of the cardboard packaging and the inner plastic casing before baking.

#27 to #25 - ainise

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(11/17/2013) [-]

Warnings are to protect the company, not the people.

Also, when looking at a warning and thinking about whether or not it's okay - try to think about it as if it was a 10 year old reading it. That pizza one is one I can definitely see someone using an oven for the first time messing up.

There is no (significant) loss for these warnings, and some of them are great for those who are ignorant. Everyone was clueless at one point. They may SEEM like common sense, but everyone makes little mistakes. "Keep drugs out of reach of children" SEEMS obvious, but how often do you see someone take 2 tylenol and just set the bottle down?

Yes, when you put thought into it, it's common sense that everyone should have common sense. However, in practice, everyone forgets something. Everyone screws up. Little warnings just help us screw up a little bit less. There's really no reason to not have these warnings.

#10 to #8 - anon id: 5681331d

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(11/16/2013) [-]

She got third degree burns, the coffee was way hotter than what is legally allowed.

#11 to #10 - secretmouse

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(11/16/2013) [-]

Ah, well, that is entirely different.

There have been cases where companies have been sued for serving food and beverages at the regulated temperature, and I was unaware that the situation referenced was one where she was actually a victim.