|
American 'Justice'
The annual "Stella"
award for the most ridiculous verdicts:
In 1994, a New Mexico jury awarded $ 2.9 million in damages
to 81-year-old Stella Liebeck who suffered third-degree burns
to her legs, groin and buttocks after spilling a cup of McDonald's
coffee on herself. This case inspired an annual award - The "Stella"
Award -for the most frivolous lawsuit in the U.S. The ones listed
below are some other outrageous examples:
1. January 2000: Kathleen Robertson of Austin Texas was awarded
$780,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping
over a toddler who was running amuck inside a furniture store.
The owners of the store were understandably surprised at the
verdict, considering the misbehaving child was Ms. Robertson's
son.
2. June 1998: A 19 year old Carl Truman of Los Angeles won $74,000
and medical expenses when his neighbour ran over his hand with
a Honda Accord. Mr. Truman apparently didn't notice there was
someone at the wheel of the car, when he was trying to steal
his neighbour's hubcaps.
3. October 1998: A Terrence Dickson of Bristol Pennsylvania was
leaving a house he had just finished robbing by way of the garage.
He was not able to get the garage door to go up, because the
automatic door opener was malfunctioning. He couldn't re-enter
the house because the door connecting the house and garage locked
when he pulled it shut. The family was on vacation. Mr. Dickson
found himself locked in the garage for eight days. He subsisted
on a case of Pepsi he found, and a large bag of dry dog food.
Mr. Dickson sued the homeowner's insurance claiming the situation
caused him undue mental anguish. The jury agreed to the tune
of half a million dollars.
4. October 1999: Jerry Williams of Little Rock Arkansas was awarded
$14,500 and medical expenses after being bitten on the buttocks
by his next door neighbour's beagle. The beagle was on a chain
in its owner's fenced-in yard, as was Mr. Williams (in the yard,
not on a chain). The award was less than sought because the jury
felt the dog may have been provoked by Mr. Williams shooting
it repeatedly with a pellet gun.
5. May 2000: A Philadelphia restaurant was ordered to pay Amber
Carson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania $113,500 after she slipped
on soft drink and broke her coccyx. The beverage was on the floor
because Ms. Carson threw it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier
during an argument.
6. December 1997: Kara Walton of Claymont, Delaware successfully
sued the owner of a night club in a neighbouring city when she
fell from the bathroom window to the floor and knocked out her
two front teeth. This occurred while Ms.Walton was trying to
sneak through the ladies room to avoid paying the $3.50 cover
charge. She was awarded $12,000 and dental expenses
In case you need some laughs
at this point here are some actual things people have said in
US courts, word for word:
Q: "Could you see him from where you were standing?
A: "I could see his head."
Q: "And where was his head?"
A: "Just above his shoulders."
Q: "What is your relationship with the plaintiff?"
A: "She is my daughter."
Q: "Was she your daughter on February 13, 1979?"
Q: "What can you tell us about the truthfulness and veracity
of this defendant?"
A: "Oh, she will tell the truth. She said she'd kill that
son of a bitch--and she did."
Q: "Were you alone or by yourself?"
Q: "I understand you're Dean Roberts' mother.
A: "Yes."
Q: "How long have you known him?"
Q: "What is the meaning of sperm being present?"
A: "It indicates intercourse."
Q: "Male sperm?"
A: "That's the only kind I know."
Q: "You say you're innocent, yet five people swore they
saw you steal a watch."
A: "Your Honor, I can produce 500 people who didn't see
me steal it."
Q: What is your date of birth?
A. July fifteenth.
Q. What year?
A. Every year.
Q. What gear were you in at the moment of the car accident?
A. Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
Q. This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
A. Yes.
Q. And in what ways does it affect your memory?
A. I forget.
Q. You forget. Can you give us an example of something you've
forgotten?
Q. How old is your son, the one living with you?
A. Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which.
Q. How long has he lived with you?
A. Forty-five years.
Q. What was the first thing your husband said to you when
he woke this morning?
A. He said, "Where am I, Cathy?"
Q. And why did that upset you?
A. My name is Susan.
Q. And where was the location of the accident?
A. Approximately at milepost 499.
Q. And where is milepost 499.
A. Probably between milepost 498 and 500.
Q. Sir, what is your IQ?
A. Well, I can see pretty well, I think.
Q. Did you blow your horn or anything?
A. After the accident?
Q. Before the accident.
A. Sure, I played for ten years. I even went to school for it.
Q. Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in
voodoo or the occult?
A. We both do.
Q. Voodoo?
A. We do.
Q. You do?
A. Yes, voodoo.
Q. Now, doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his
sleep he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
Q. The youngest son, the twenty-year old, how old is he?
Q. Were you present when your picture was taken?
Q. Was it you or your younger brother who was killed in the
war?
Q. How far apart were the vehicles at the time of the collision?
Q. How many times have you committed suicide?
Q. So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?
A. Yes.
Q. What were you doing at that time?
Q. You say the stairs went down to the basement?
A. Yes.
Q. And these stairs, did they go up also?
Q. How was your first marriage terminated?
A. By death.
Q. And by whose death was it terminated?
Q. Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition
notice I sent to your attorney?
A. No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
Q. Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people?
A. All my autopsies have been performed on dead people.
Q. All your responses must be oral, O.K.?
Q. What school did you go to?
A. Oral.
Q. Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
A. The autopsy started around 8:30 A.M.
Q. And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time?
A. No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing
an autopsy.
Q. Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
Q. Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check
for a pulse?
A. No.
Q. Did you check his blood pressure?
A. No.
Q. Did you check for breathing?
A. No.
Q. So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you
began the autopsy?
A. No.
Q. How can you be so sure, Doctor?
A. Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
Q. But could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
A. It is possible that he could have been alive and practicing
law somewhere. |
