Funny you bring up the McDonalds lawsuit. Most people do when they think of people beig able to be sued for any reason. There were however many factors that led up to the case and McDonalds losing the case. Here are a few facts about the case. It was more the total disregard for their customers safety that McDonalds's has than the fact that someone was burned with coffee.
McFacts abut the McDonalds Coffee Lawsuit
McDonalds coffee and the Liebeck lawsuit