For promoting ridiculous lawsuits.
What paved the way for ridiculous lawsuits? In the last few decades, there has been a spike in lawsuits won by people who have blamed others for their own stupidity and ignorance. Ms. Liebeck may not have been the first to start the trend, but she certainly wins the blue ribbon.
In 1992, Stella Liebeck’s grandson took her to a McDonald’s drive-thru for a cup of coffee. After the purchase, they pulled over so Stella could add some cream and sugar. As the car sat motionless, she removed the cup’s lid and clumsily spilled scalding hot coffee on her legs. This accident resulted in third-degree burns on 6 percent of her body. (Take note, she spilled it on herself. A Mickey Dee’s employee did NOT drop it on her lap, nor did one vindictively throw the java in her face. It was just a simple, self-induced mistake.) After the incident, Ms. Liebeck sought $20,000 for pain and suffering. McDonald’s refused to settle out of court (which ended up being a rather expensive mistake), and a jury awarded Ms. Liebeck $2.9 million.
Why the hell is an eighty-one-year-old meddling with blisteringly hot coffee over her lap in a vehicle anyway? Did she forget what Dirty Harry said? Stella, “Man’s got to know his limitations.” This applies to grannies too! Now don’t get me wrong, I love my Gram-Gram, and I’d certainly be laying the smack down if I caught someone messin’ with her. But… she’s old. She spills stuff all the time. It’s expected. And McDonald’s needs to share the blame too. Next time, don’t use Grimace and the Hamburglar as legal counsel. Send a company-wide MEMO: Juries tend to side with sweet old ladies in a BIG way!
So thank you all, because this helped pave the way for anyone to sue anyone just for being a jackass. What happened next? Here you go: A guy sued Michael Jordan for looking like him. A family sued Honda because their daughter couldn’t remove a seat belt while underwater and drunk. A woman sued Wendy’s for finding a finger in her soup, which she planted herself. A guy sued a strip club because a dancer gave him whiplash. A family sued Oliver Stone because his movie inspired a woman’s crime spree. A man sued a dry cleaner for $65 million because they lost his pants. I rest my case…