CLIO, Mich. – A Michigan middle school student was left with second-degree burns after he was forced to carry his lunch without a tray and spilled his mashed potatoes.

The 12-year-old student’s father is now suing the school district and food service provider Chartwells over the March 2014 incident at Carter Middle School in Clio, and the family’s seeking over $25,000 in damages for the boy’s injuries, Mlive reports.

Thomas B. Calcatera is representing the family and filed a lawsuit last month on behalf of the boy’s father, Ferdinand Valkoun, alleging the potatoes were too hot, and the district and Chartwells is at fault for not providing lunch trays to carry the food.

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Calcatera told Mlive the potatoes were tested after the incident and registered 200 degrees.

“Nothing good can come from serving food that hot,” he said.

Calcatera said there were no lunch trays available when the student went through the lunch line last spring, so he was forced to carry the scalding hot potatoes on his arm like a restaurant server. The boy collided with another student and spilled the hot potatoes on his left arm and elbow, resulting in burns, as well as muscle, tendon and nerve damage, according to the lawsuit.

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that hot foods be kept at an internal temperature of at least 140 degrees to prevent bacteria contamination,” Mlive reports.

School officials declined to comment on the litigation, while Chartwells did not return a message from Mlive.

The news site likened the case to the famous 1992 lawsuit involving Stella Liebeck, who sued an Albuquerque McDonald’s over serious burns she sustained from overly hot coffee that spilt in her lap.

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In that case, Liebeck was awarded $3 million in punitive damages by a jury, but the case was ultimately settled out of court. The Clio lawsuit is similar in the sense that Calcatera claims school food workers failed to warn students about the scalding hot potatoes, reports.

The district and Chartwells have not yet filed a response to the lawsuit, and Chartwells remains the district’s food service provider, Mlive reports.

Reaction to the case online varied wildly, from some who believe Valkoun is out for a payday to others who think food workers are at fault and should be held liable.

“I usually get annoyed at frivolous lawsuit stories, but I think the school staff screwed up. Overheating the food plus not having enough trays,” moegreen posted to Mlive. “I have never been one to over coddle my kids, but I would never let this one go. A second degree burn is no joke. And caused by staff negligence, I think this suit is justified.”

“I have an idea for anyone questioning this story,” 2sidestoeverystory wrote. “Go to your kitchen and get a pan. Boil the water to 200 degrees. Then add your potatoes. Once your potatoes are nice thick and sticky put them in a bowl. Once tranfered into a bowl go ahead and slap them on your bare skin. Let me know how that works for you. This isn’t recommended but it would put you in the shoes of the 12 year old it happened to!”

Poster fredaf believes the student is truly to blame.

“You have got to be kidding me, whatever happened to personal responsibility? Now the cafeteria will have to put out signs that the food on the warmers is hot.  Good grief!” fredaf wrote.

“@fredaf Seriously, you think 200 degree mash potatoes are acceptable? Hot is one thing, hot enough for second degree burns is ridiculous,” merrick countered.