1. Unsafe Coffee
www.gregfish.wordpress.com
Perhaps the world’s most famous frivolous lawsuit of all times is the case Stella Liebeck vs McDonald’s. Liebeck managed to extract amazing $600,000 from McDonald’s for a very stupid reason. In 1992, the 79 years old woman bought a coffee from a drive through of the company and it spilled in her lap while trying to add cram and sugar. She thought McDonald’s been guilty for that and sued them. Believe it or not, the jury found McDonald’s guilty and ordered them to pay $160,000 in compensatory damages and incredible 2.7 million in punitive damages. However, the shocked lawyers of the company managed to settle an of-the-court deal for $600,000.
2. Man Sues Himself
www.blog.bitcomet.com
This is a funny, silly, stupid, extraordinary planned, frivolous lawsuit. Robert Lee Brock was in prison back in 1995, but he needed some change in his life and decided to move to a mental hospital. Unfortunately, he was jailed and it was up to somebody else if he moves or not. He had to stay in prison and therefore he had to find another way to accomplish his goal and, finally, it seemed that he found the road to mental institution – he sued himself. He claimed that his crime was committed whilst he was drunk, so he had violated his religious beliefs, which means he had violated his civil liberties. He sued for $5 million which according to him should be paid by the state, as he had no incomes. Although Brock proved himself ready for mental institution, the case was dismissed and he remained in prison.
3. Wrong Weather Forecast
www.dannytsang.co.uk
We all know that the weather forecast is not always correct, but we somehow never stop trusting in it. But a woman from Israel lost her trust and decided to sue the TV station on which she watched it. They had said that the weather is going to be sunny, but it rained. She had been dressed lightly, had caught flu, had missed one week from work and had bought some medications. It was enough to win a lawsuit worth 1000 dollars.
4. Toddler in the Store
www.cothestores.66ghz.com
Kathleen Robertson from Austin, Texas won $80,000 because she was tripped by a toddler that was running through a furniture store, which caused her a knee injury. Of course, according to the law the store would be responsible for injuries caused by anything in it. However, the fact that Ms. Robertson won the lawsuit was very surprising, having in mind that it was her own kid who was running all over the furniture store.
5. Burglar’s Anguish
www.travel.webshots.com
Terrence Dickson from Bristol, Pennsylvania, is a man that tries to earn as much as he can with as least as possible effort. Shortly – he is a burglar and winner of frivolous lawsuit. He burglarized a house and tried to escape from the garage. Unfortunately, the garage door didn’t function well and remained locked despite his efforts. Later he tried to escape from the house but the door that connected the garage and the house couldn’t be unlocked, too. The poor man stayed there trying to go out for whole eight days. He survived it with a bag of dry dog food and Pepsi, but now he can afford much more. He sued the homeowner’s insurance company for causing mental anguish and, amazing but true, he won $500,000.
6. Winnebago Autopilot
www.drmonteiro.com
In this case it’s unclear who is the craziest, is it the court or poor Mrs. Merv Grazinski from Oklahoma City. Merv Grazinsky bought a brand new Winnebago (remember, just Winnebago, not a space shuttle) and was eager to try it on the freeway. She visited a football game at Oklahoma University and while she was driving back home she got hungry, set the speed at constant 70mph, left the driver’s seat and went back of the Winnebago to make herself a sandwich. Of course, after few second the vehicle crashed and overturned. Merv Grazinsky was angry to Winnebago because the manufacturer missed to put in the driver’s manual that the driver’s seat should never be left. Unbelievably, the jury had the same opinion with her and ordered Winnebago to pay her $1,750,000 and another brand new motor home.
7. Argument Brings Money
www.good-times.webshots.com
Amber Carson from Lancaster, Pennsylvania became richer for $113,500 after an argument with her boyfriend. The bizarre case happened when she threw her drink to his face 30 seconds before she slipped of the fluid on the floor and broke her tailbone. The jury found the restaurant guilty for the action of Amber Carson and ordered paying that much money as compensation.
8. Godly Powers
www.scoopertino.com
Christopher Roller is man from Minnesota, perhaps a mad one, who sued David Blaine and David Copperfield demanding them to reveal him the tricks they use. His reason was his finding that they defy the laws of physics and use godly powers instead. Why he thought he had the right to sue them? He thought he was God. He asked only for 10% of all their incomes. That’s how the God’s patents are worth. Finally, a not winning case on this list.
9. Not Enough Beer, I Guess?
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In 1991 Richard Overton sued Anheuser-Busch for $10,000 because they were lying in the commercials. Although he drunk a huge amount of Bud Light he couldn’t see the beautiful girls on a tropical island. Maybe he hadn’t drunk enough beer to see them, but it was definitely enough to start a frivolous lawsuit.
10. Looking Alike Michael Jordan
www.mkphoto.net
Everyone was telling to Allan Heckard from Oregon that he looks like basketball superstar Michael Jordan. But this guy thought a little bit different – Michael Jordan looked like him. Probably he thought that he had the exclusive right of that face characteristics and sued Jordan and Nike for amazing $832 million for his, as he was claiming, emotional pain and suffering. He dropped sue after a month.
