Yesterday, she filed a suit demanding 100,000 rubles in moral damages and 400 rubles for the harm done to her health ($1 equals 28.68 rubles), her lawyer told Vedomosti.

According to him, a McDonalds restaurant did not uphold his clients consumer right to expect safe service and the requirement of Russias chief sanitary doctor that all public-catering facilities have first-aid k

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its on their premises for providing medical aid to their clients.

McDonalds has considered the claim, but refused to acknowledge any culpability.

Ms. Kuznetsova says that, when leaving the restaurant in question, she "pushed the heavy door with one hand, carrying a tray in the other, but the door shut immediately, knocking over the cup of coffee over me. I asked the staff if they could help me, but they said they had no ointment left and brought just ice and a towel." Later she was diagnosed first and second degrees burns. Now Ms. Kuznetsova maintains that it will be very expensive to remove the scar left by the burn.

The suit is unprecedented for Russia. Lawyers are split over whether or not the action will succeed. Some say Ms. Kuznetsovas chances are slim, as McDonalds lawyers have significant experience of such suits because people are constantly trying to get money from the company. However, a spokesman for Moscows Central College of Lawyers believes that the court may uphold her suit. "Services must be provided safely," he said. "A consumer should not have to think that the ceiling might cave in on him, or he may be hit by the door when going to a table, which was the case here."

However, on the whole, lawyers agree that fashion for lawsuits will not strike root in Russia soon, as the consumer market is very young and the general mindset has not undergone the necessary changes.

MOSCOW, Nov 12 (RIA Novosti)