<Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Court membership </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Judge (s) sitting </Th> <Td> Robert H. Scott </Td> </Tr> <P> Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants, also known as the McDonald's coffee case and the hot coffee lawsuit, was a 1994 product liability lawsuit that became a flashpoint in the debate in the United States over tort reform . Although a New Mexico civil jury awarded $2.86 million to plaintiff Stella Liebeck, a 79 - year - old woman who 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, ultimately Liebeck was only awarded $640,000 . Liebeck was hospitalized for eight days while she underwent skin grafting, followed by two years of medical treatment . </P> <P> Liebeck's attorneys argued that, at 180--190 ° F (82--88 ° C), McDonald's coffee was defective, claiming it was too hot and more likely to cause serious injury than coffee served at any other establishment . McDonald's had refused several prior opportunities to settle for less than what the jury ultimately awarded . The jury damages included $160,000 to cover medical expenses and compensatory damages and $2.7 million in punitive damages . The trial judge reduced the final verdict to $640,000, and the parties settled for a confidential amount before an appeal was decided . </P>

When was mcdonald's sued for hot coffee