I realize we're on a tangent now, but I can't let that stand unchallenged.
Mcdonalds' brewing/holding temperature was the recommended temperature for coffee by the the NCA, a coffee industry group, not to mention any number of enthusiasts. This is between 195F and 205F for brewing, and holding around 170-190F. A quick google search confirms this. ~195ish is also where home drip brewers are set. McDonalds' temperatures were not unreasonable or outside the norm.
Most adults will sustain third degree burns with contact of 150F water for two seconds, a full 45 degrees lower. It is not reasonable to expect coffee to be brewed and held even at that temperature, let alone below it.
Furthermore, Liebeck's burns and their location were sustained entirely because she put a styrofoam container (i.e. something easily crushed) between her legs to add cream&sugar outside the store - and then, sure enough, she crushed it.
Given the absurd volume of coffee that they were selling even back then, which was brewed at identical temperatures, and did not result in any injury (on the orders of multiple millions of cups per day), I chalk this one up to 100% user error, judge be damned.
The severity of her injuries do not even factor into the question of who was at fault. Coffee brewed correctly is extremely hot out of the serving container, and should be treated with appropriate care - including not putting it in a position where you can dump it on yourself.
This case is a study in how emotional manipulation (poor old lady vs multinational corporation) works on the justice system. Mcdonalds would have done well to just pay her medical bills, even though they didn't actually do anything wrong or irresponsible, and be done with it.