He got an unhappy meal.
An NYPD cop is suing McDonald’s over a burn from scalding-hot coffee that spilled and allegedly caused his skin to “peel off” — echoing a famous 1990s case in which a New Mexico granny won $2.7 million.
Gerard Salvia is hot under the collar over the “super-heated” cup of Joe, which a drive-through worker allegedly handed to him without the lid properly attached in October, according to the lawsuit, filed in Suffolk County civil court Wednesday.
The piping-hot beverage splashed onto his lower leg, causing Salvia a painful second-degree burn the size of a handprint at the restaurant in Melville in October, according to the lawsuit and video footage.
Salvia, an NYPD supervisor who was off duty at the time, had to be treated medically for the burns and later suffered painful scarring, according to court papers.
“It was unreasonably dangerous and not fit for human consumption,” the suit states.
“ [Salvia] became sick, sore, lame and disabled…and will continue to suffer for some time to come, great mental and physical pain, mental anguish and bodily injuries.”
The burns were so bad, he claims, they even caused his marriage to take a nosedive, according to the lawsuit, which also names his wife, Daisy Salvia, as a plaintiff.
“[Daisy] has been caused to suffer the loss of society, services and companionship of her husband… and was caused to expend diverse sums of money for medical expenses and treatment to cure him of his ailments,” the suit states.
Months after the spill, Salvia told The Post he’s still in pain.
“I’m not doing great. I have a scar on my leg, I still get spasms and pins and needles. I have to wear a special sock. I probably won’t be able to wear shorts, the doctor said I have to keep it out of the sun. I can’t work out,” he said.
“I haven’t had coffee since the incident.”
His lawsuit is a throwback to the well-known, but widely misunderstood case of Stella Liebeck, a 79-year-old New Mexico grandmother who sued McDonald’s in 1992 after suffering third-degree burns from spilling 190-degree coffee in her lap while parked in Albuquerque.
Liebeck, who suffered burns on 16% of her body including her groin, had to be hospitalized for eight days while undergoing skin grafting and underwent two years of medical treatment, according to past reports.
She initially tried to get the restaurant to pay $20,000 for her medical bills, but it reportedly refused, so she sued.
She initially won $2.7 million in punitive damages over the dangerously hot coffee, but the award was later reduced to a confidential settlement.
She’s believed to have eventually taken home less than $500,000.
McDonald’s has been sued over hot coffee burns since the1992 case, including by an elderly California woman, who spilled hot coffee in her groin and suffered second degree burns.
Coffee is generally brewed between 170 and 195 degrees and second degree burns can occur with beverages that are at least 140 degrees.
It’s not clear how hot Salvia’s coffee was.
“If he drank the coffee, he would’ve received much more serious injuries to his mouth and airway,” Salvia’s lawyer, John Beatty, told The Post.
McDonald’s didn’t immediately return questions from The Post.