It was once the American dream to be sued for stealing your neighbor’s garage door. That has all changed, though, with many of us now becoming victims of frivolous lawsuits. People have suffered cases for everything from damaged sneakers to defamation of character. While cases are often driven by malice or greed, this article looks at some ridiculous lawsuits in recent history and explains why they may have been filed.
Richard Overton vs. Budweiser
Using girls to attract men is a widespread practice in the advertisement industry. Budweiser was not the first to use female models for their ad campaigns. However, in 1991, Richard Overton filed a lawsuit against Anheuser-Busch as he failed to attract beautiful women as per their ads. He sued Anheuser-Busch for 10,000 US dollars. Overton mentioned that he took beer after beer but failed in luring out any woman. As a result, he faced mental illness and financial loss simultaneously.
However, he did not win the case. Unlike any implied consent law cases, the case was dismissed right away.
Stella Liebeck vs. McDonald’s
In 1994, Stella Liebeck sued McDonald’s for serving scalding coffee. Liebeck spilled the coffee in her lap while driving. Coffees are served hot, but their average serving temperature is between 130-140 degrees. However, Liebeck was served with a coffee temperature between 180-190 degrees. This excessive heat caused her suffering, and as a result, six percent of her body was burnt.
A jury reduced twenty percent of her compensatory damages as she was blamed twenty percent for this incident. After long sessions of debates, Liebeck was awarded 640,000 USD as compensation.
Roy L. Pearson vs. The Chungs
In 2005, Roy L. Pearson filed a lawsuit against the Chungs who owned a dry cleaner. Pearson was about to begin his career as a judge, and he bought a pair of pants for his first day at work. He went to the dry cleaner for alterations, and somehow they went missing. Pearson demanded 1150 USD for an entire brand new suit instead of two pants. The dry cleaner owners gradually offered 3000 USD, 4600 USD, and 12,000 USD for the missing pants.
However, Pearson continued to push the envelope and finally asked for 67 million USD! As a result, he lost the case and was required to pay the defendants’ legal fees.
Megan Thode vs. Lehigh University
We see many students who are not happy with their grades. Megan Thode is one of them but quite peculiar. She was not satisfied with her result and filed a case against Lehigh University, Pennsylvania, in 2013. She discovered that she got a C+ grade in her examination, which will prevent her from getting her targeted degree. Her dream was to become a therapist, and a C+ will not allow her to become a licensed therapist in Pennsylvania. She calculated that due to this poor grade, she would lose 1.3 million USD earnings in the future.
However, the court found no abuse of discretion like a class 4 felony Illinois here, and the case was dismissed.
Jaish Markos vs. Russell Brands
In 2016, a New Yorker, Jaish Markos, bought a basketball from Russell Brands. Initially, the company claimed that their Spalding Neverflat basketball would not get flat within a year. However, Markos claimed that his basketball lost some of its air prematurely, so he filed a lawsuit against Russell Brands.
Most customers will ask for a refund in such cases. Still, Markos sued Russell Brands for 5 million USD for the faulty basketball. The lawsuit was filed on June 10, 2016, and terminated on December 15, 2020.
Jessica Gomez vs. Jelly Belly
In 2017, Jessica Gomez from California filed a lawsuit against Jelly Belly. She mentioned that Jelly Belly misled her by using the term “evaporated cane juice” on their Sport Beans. Gomez said that the fancy term made her think it was sugar-free and considered a healthier snack option.
However, Jelly Belly urged the court to drop it as the product’s nutrition label indicated its sugar level. As a result, the case was dismissed.
Jessica Bray vs. Saint James Hair Studio
In 2018, an Australian woman named Jessica Bray sued a salon called Saint James Hair Studio in Melbourne. She claimed that the stylist ruined her hair entirely, and the botched dye job seriously damaged her hair. Bray mentioned that the hair studio badly bleached her roots. As a result, she faced lots of hair fall. In these cases, customers usually leave negative reviews on the website. However, Jessica sued the studio for 30,000 USD, mentioning wig expenses and humiliation.
Finally, the court called the lawsuit excessive and awarded Jessica 400 USD for the incident.
These are some hilarious lawsuits that have ever happened. Comment below which one you find interesting.
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