It was one of the most controversial US court cases of the 1990s. In 1992, a 79-year old woman named Stella Liebeck spilled a 49-cent cup of McDonalds coffee in the back seat of a car. The scalding coffee caused Liebeck to suffer severe third degree burns, requiring expensive and lengthy medical treatment.

When McDonalds offered Liebeck significantly less compensation that she had originally sought, she became embroiled in a lawsuit with the fast food company that kicked off a media frenzy. All said and done, many media outlets reported Liebeck - who died in 2004 at the age of 91 - emerged with a settlement worth millions of dollars. It was followed by many calls for significant 'tort' - defined as a "wrongful act or an infringement of a right (other than under contract) leading to legal liability" - reform.

Several documentaries, including one from HBO called Hot Coffee, have already been made on the case and its repercussions, and many continue to suggest the incident is proof that the American legal system was and is out of control.

However, as one contributor to a new New York Times documentary on the subject suggests, it's "the most widely misunderstood story in America". The truth behind this controversial case might be a lot different than popular perception indicates. You can watch the short but fascinating documentary below: