Stephanie Jones (Edison): Frivolous Lawsuits

There are 70,000 product liability law suits in America every year!  The following are real warning labels on products:A push chair carried the following warning: “Remove child before folding.”A sleeping pill prescription read: “Warning: May cause drowsiness.”An iron carried the following warning: “Never iron clothes while they are being worn.”A unique wind-proof beach towel told users: “This towel has been tested to withstand significantly strong winds. But please be advised that during a hurricane this product should not be used to secure yourself or anything of value.”A hair dryer warned users: “Never use while sleeping.”A bathroom heater company covered itself by saying: “This product is not to be used in bathrooms.”An under-arm deodorant container had printed on it: “Caution: Do not spray in eyes.”A toilet that uses recycled flush water had the following warning: “Recycled flush water - Unsafe for drinking.”A novelty rock garden set comes with the warning: “Eating rocks may lead to broken teeth.”A warning on an electric DIY drill cautions: “This product is not intended for use as a dental drill.”A set of cyclist’s shin pads carried the following warning: “Shin pads cannot protect any part of the body that they do not cover.” (www.mundayweb.com).

I think it is in some part the fault of the greedy plaintiffs and lawyers, and judges who cannot or most likely will not distinguish between a legitimate case and frivolous one. In most cases a large amount of the blame can be placed on state legislators that continue to protect their interests and pass laws that hinder the honest but provide loopholes for the greedy.  It seems like we have all heard stories of legitimate cases that were lost or took years to fight.  Most of you know the story of the “Love Canal”.  These people were dying because of their neighborhood being built on top of toxic waste. Their cases got thrown out of court time and time again. Some states, especially in medical malpractice cases make it next to impossible to sue.  In Indiana if you want to sue your doctor you must take your case before 3 doctors.  Those three peers must approve your lawsuit or you cannot take your lawsuit any further.  This is like the police policing the police.   Yet a woman can spill a cup of coffee ON HERSELF and sue McDonald’s for several millions.     

Munday, N. (n.d.). American useless facts. Retrieved from http://www.mundayweb.com/uselessfacts/american.php

This entry was posted on 1. March 2010 at 05:23 and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.