http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liebeck...;s_Restaurants
Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants ...was a 1994 product liability lawsuit that became a flashpoint in the debate in the United States over tort reform. A New Mexico civil jury awarded $2.86 million to plaintiff Stella Liebeck who had suffered third-degree burns in her pelvic region when she accidentally spilled hot coffee in her lap after purchasing it from a McDonald's restaurant. Liebeck was hospitalized for eight days while she underwent skin grafting, followed by two years of medical treatment.
...The trial judge reduced the final verdict to $640,000
...but the parties settled out of court for an undisclosed amount less than $600,000.