We live in a litigious society, and personal injury courts throughout the country hear claims every single day.
Personal injury litigation is one of the most fascinating areas of law, and one you will need to look at closely to understand the detail involved.
There have been plenty of high-profile injury cases filed throughout the years.
Some set a considerable precedent, while others are remembered for how frivolous they were.
Here are some of the most famous personal injury cases of modern times.
1. The McDonald’s Coffee Lawsuit
This is arguably the most famous personal injury lawsuit of all time.
It is remembered because most people thought of it as frivolous and it is still used as an example of frivolous lawsuits today.
However, the reality could not be further from the truth.
In this lawsuit, the customer sued McDonald’s for damages because they spilled a cup of hot coffee on themselves and suffered considerable damage.
The fact that everyone knows coffee is hot is the reason so many people chalk this up as an illegitimate lawsuit and an example of the times we’re living in.
However, the facts of the case state that the lid was not properly secured on the coffee and that it was brewed a full 40 degrees hotter than it should have been.
For simple context, consider the difference between a pleasant 70-degree day and a 110-degree day that breaks records and has meteorologists issuing heat advisories.
The woman in this cave sustained severe third-degree burns on her legs and groin area that required serious medical attention.
The kicker is that McDonald’s had already received a little under a thousand complaints about their coffee being too hot.
The woman in this lawsuit originally wanted to settle with McDonald for $800.
The restaurant turned down this settlement and ultimately ended up paying close to $3 million when it went to court.
2. Hustler Magazine v. Falwell
People often think of biological injuries when the topic of personal injury lawsuits comes up.
However, defamation is just as serious as any physical personal injury.
Larry Flynt is the pornographic pioneer who came out with Hustler magazine.
Jerry Falwell is equally as heralded in the Evangelical Christian world, known best for his televangelist programming.
Falwell was in a parody campaign put out by Hustler magazine.
As part of the parody, the magazine painted Falwell as a drunk who was attracted to his mother.
The magazine used Falwell’s photograph in the parody.
Once the campaign came out, Falwell sued the magazine for emotional distress and defamation.
However, the courts ruled that it was a comedic parody, which is protected under constitutional law.
3. NFL Concussion Lawsuits
Today, the harm of concussions and CTE are common knowledge.
However, several professional athletes for years took blunt force head trauma since we didn’t know as much in the past as we know now.
The National Football League (NFL) comes under fire more than almost any other league related to brain trauma injuries.
Former players began filing lawsuits throughout the years, to the point that close to 5,000 players eventually joined the suit, claiming that they have lifelong ailments and injuries as a result of their playing days.
To this point, the league has paid more than a billion dollars in out of court settlements due to these injuries and the danger of concussions.
4. Owen Hart’s Estate vs. the World Wrestling Federation
In the ’90s, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), now World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), was running hot and receiving mainstream appeal it had never before experienced.
A large part of the popularity was due to the over the topic antics and storylines that got people talking in school and at the water cooler.
Unfortunately, one of the planned stunts left veteran wrestler Owen Hart dead in the ring while the company was broadcasting live on Pay-Per-View.
At the Over the Edge Pay-Per-View in 1999, Hart was supposed to descend from the arena rafters attached to a cord.
He was playing a cape-wearing character at the time.
While preparing for the descent, it is believed that his cape got caught in a mechanism that unleashed the system and led to him falling from the rafters into the ring, where he died shortly after.
This happened while the lights in the arena were down and fans were watching a promo video on the big screen.
His widow eventually received an $18 million payout in a wrongful death lawsuit that was settled out of court.
5. Overton v. Anheuser-Busch Co
Finally, it’s important to point out a lawsuit that actually does deserve to go in the frivolous column.
In this suit, a man sued the Anheuser Busch Company for false and misleading advertising due to the commercials.
The commercials showed beautiful women partying with a man after he drank his Bud Light.
In this lawsuit, a man claimed that he drank a 6-pack of Bud Light, and endured emotional distress once he realized that there were no beautiful women that appeared along with the effects of the beverage.
He sued the company for $10,000. The case was quickly dismissed, as the judge deemed it frivolous.
The bottom line is that in all these cases, it takes a quality personal injury lawyer to bring about the desired conclusion.
Make sure to hire the best professional to help you if you are dealing with a case that needs litigation or a settlement.
Do Your Research Into These Personal Injury Cases
When you consider these personal injury cases, it’s clear that no two personal injury situations are just alike.
It’s up to you to learn the details of your case so that they can be handled properly.
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