You have got to be joking...

[vvac201]

Considering that judge in the U.S. is suing for $65 million because his pants were lost by the cleaners, the mind boggles.

Regards,

Murph

Hey guys, I lost my car keys while sitting in my Lazy Boy recliner the other day!!! Time to go after Honda, for making the keys so they could be lost. And Lazy Boy, even though I had the choice to not sit in the chair, it's addictive properties of cushioning my buttocks and back when I sit down gave me the addictive habbit of sitting down and putting my feet up three times a day!!! :)

Jason

[Tomcat7742]

Isn't it listed somewhere that the hazards come with the job? That would be like a Marine filing suit against the government for being shot in Iraq.

[LanceB]

Which is the key point. The $3m outcome was a punitive judgement - the damages awarded were particularly high because McDonalds had demonstrated a consistent and to the court's mind, reckless disregard for safety.

You wanna talk "reckless disregard for safety"? Try "ripping the top off a hot cup of coffee you are holding between your thighs while simultaneously driving a car". I will put her "disregard for safety" (she could have caused an accident and injured or killed others) well above McDonalds' responsibility.

[Murph]

Isn't it listed somewhere that the hazards come with the job? That would be like a Marine filing suit against the government for being shot in Iraq.

As a wise chicken once said.

Regards,

Murph

Edited May 5, 2007 by Murph

[Henrik B]

You wanna talk "reckless disregard for safety"? Try "ripping the top off a hot cup of coffee you are holding between your thighs while simultaneously driving a car". I will put her "disregard for safety" (she could have caused an accident and injured or killed others) well above McDonalds' responsibility.

"After receiving the order, the grandson pulled his car forward and stopped momentarily so that Liebeck could add cream and sugar to her coffee. (Critics of civil justice, who have pounced on this case, often charge that Liebeck was driving the car or that the vehicle was in motion when she spilled the coffee; neither is true.)"

http://www.caoc.com/CA/index.cfm?event=showPage&pg=facts

[Ivanho4]

Here's an interesting case. I'm going to sue the pants off this forum. I got a horrific headache reading stories on how to launch frivilous lawsuits. . It's hampered my ability to install PE parts on my 1/48 Hase Hellcat. Ivan

[ChernayaAkula]

Isn't it listed somewhere that the hazards come with the job? That would be like a Marine filing suit against the government for being shot in Iraq.

Or as Andy McNab said in an interview: "If you don't want the job, don't take the money!"

On the issue of funny lawsuits:

We've got some of thjose here as well. For example that one guy that wanted to get money from his insurance because of a hail damage to his car. And because there was no hail shower, he thought to himself, "why not do it myself!". So he set out with a ball hammer to make the appropriate dents in his car. Problem was, it was raining. So the guy sat in his car and started hammering away FROM THE INSIDE!

He was flabbergasted when the insurance broker asked him about his theory as to why the hail managed to make dents not only FROM BELOW but to the ROOF ONLY, sparing hood and trunk!

One more case where the parents should have raised the stork instead!

[habu2]

TINS:

True story from a company where I used to work: an employee, whose job was to install safety rails on an elevated platform, fell off the platform while installing the rails and injured himself. He then sued the company - because the handrails weren't in place. :)

He won the lawsuit. :blink:

He continued to work at the company, he was finally fired for having sex with another employee while at work. :huh:

Did I mention he and his wife worked at the same company? B)

[Horrido]

He continued to work at the company, he was finally fired for having sex with another employee while at work. :)

Did I mention he and his wife worked at the same company?

Why do I have the sneaking suspicion the "[other] employee" was not his wife? :lol:

[PBoilermaker]

The American legal system is a farce. If people would simply accept responsibility for their own actions, we wouldn't have this problem.

When your life is screwed up, it usually isn't someone else's fault. However, we are now taught that you can always blame someone or something else for our own problems because responsibility is a painful pill to swallow for many people.

No matter which way you cut it, spilling hot liquid on your own lap is nobody's fault but yours. I don't care if it was the temperature of magma. Since when was there a standard for coffee to be "too hot"?

Why do you think we have legalese on the back of shampoo bottles telling you not to eat the product? Because for me to eat it would be someone else's fault, right? Right.

-Mike

[habu2]

Why do I have the sneaking suspicion the "[other] employee" was not his wife? :lol:

Definitely not. Doubt he ever "conjugated" with the wife again either... :)

Oh, did I mention he wrecked the new truck? I wonder if he sued the ditch he ran into, or the bar that sold him that last beer, or.....

Edited May 6, 2007 by habu2

[ChernayaAkula]

The American legal system is a farce. If people would simply accept responsibility for their own actions, we wouldn't have this problem.

When your life is screwed up, it usually isn't someone else's fault. However, we are now taught that you can always blame someone or something else for our own problems because responsibility is a painful pill to swallow for many people.

No matter which way you cut it, spilling hot liquid on your own lap is nobody's fault but yours. I don't care if it was the temperature of magma. Since when was there a standard for coffee to be "too hot"?

Why do you think we have legalese on the back of shampoo bottles telling you not to eat the product? Because for me to eat it would be someone else's fault, right? Right.

-Mike

Yeah, "TOB" is the real problem. "Transfer of blame".

Concerning the shampoo, my favourite is "Don't iron the shirt while wearing". Seems like good advice to me!

[LanceB]

Yeah, "TOB" is the real problem. "Transfer of blame".

Concerning the shampoo, my favourite is "Don't iron the shirt while wearing". Seems like good advice to me!

I saw a hairdryer tag that said "Do not use in the shower". That should be removed - if you are stupid enough to use an electrical appliance while showering, humanity no longer needs your DNA. It probably doesn't twist anyway. But a couple of lines down was the real kicker: "Do not use while sleeping".

HUH?!?

How would that even be possible, and if you could do it, why should we stop you?

Look at herd animals: they push their weak, stupid and lame to the outside of the herd, giving the lions something to eat and keeping the remaining herd strong. They obviously know something humans do not.

And HenrikB, thanks for the correction. While it mitigates things somewhat, and a least know we know she was not an imminent threat to others on the road (there are enough of those as it is), still - I doubt it was her first cup of coffee from McD's, and even if it was, ripping the top off while holding it between your thighs should count as "forseeable accident".

[habu2]

But a couple of lines down was the real kicker: "Do not use while sleeping".

HUH?!?

How would that even be possible, and if you could do it, why should we stop you?

You would be surprised. A fireman friend told me they had found people using them as "space heaters" at night. Necessity may be the mother of invention, but it doesn't mean it's a good idea....

[niart17]

You would be surprised. A fireman friend told me they had found people using them as "space heaters" at night. Necessity may be the mother of invention, but it doesn't mean it's a good idea....

One of the drum instructors at my nephews school actually used a hair dryer to get to sleep. He said that the noise was soothing and the slight glow of it calmed him down to sleep. He claims it was safe because of the auto shut-off thermostat.........it's a good thing he can really play drums.....rocket scientist he ain't!!!!

[General Grievous]

Look at herd animals: they push their weak, stupid and lame to the outside of the herd, giving the lions something to eat and keeping the remaining herd strong. They obviously know something humans do not.

You're obviously wrong.

GG

[Henrik B]

And HenrikB, thanks for the correction. While it mitigates things somewhat, and a least know we know she was not an imminent threat to others on the road (there are enough of those as it is), still - I doubt it was her first cup of coffee from McD's, and even if it was, ripping the top off while holding it between your thighs should count as "forseeable accident".

The accident is forseeable, the result of it isn't. It's like selling, I don't know, rat poison in candy stores. If a kid eats it, it's sure is forseeable, but doesn't make it a good idea anyway. I hope the analogy isn't too bad. What I mean is, McDonalds sells something that seems to be a normal cup of coffee, but in reality it's this magma-hot coffee disaster waiting to happen. If you spill something consumable on yourself, you don't want to be hospitalized for eight days. THAT was what the punitive part is about.

After the verdict, McDonalds dropped the temperature to normal.

I try to tell the whole story whenever I encounter that story. You might judge the facts different than the court did, I don't argue with that, and the sum was rather large (but as you now know, got reduced to $400 000, still a hefty amount) but it also a prime example on how something takes on a new shape when you know ALL the facts. It's not a urban legend, but it's presented in a very biased way (no slight against you Lance!). I hope I don't come across as the party pooper here, it's just a public service announcement...