Sue-Happy America
Elizabeth Weber
Issue date: 4/21/05 Section: Op-Ed
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America is a beautiful country. It really is. No other nation in the world allows its citizens more freedoms and opportunities than America. As citizens of the United States of America, we should exercise our rights as much as possible. But when does it turn to abuse? Perhaps when somebody spilled a cup of "hot" coffee in her lap and decided to sue the fast-food restaurant where the coffee was purchased. Thus, a chain reaction of frivolous lawsuits was set off and an unofficial Constitutional amendment was added: "The right to not have to take responsibility for one's own actions."
The American legal system has come a long away since the days of Brown vs. Board of Education and Roe vs. Wade, when lawsuits were intended to fight for the rights, equality, and quality of life of every individual. As much as the Constitution and the Bill of Rights guarantee basic freedom and rights to all, many have taken the liberty to interpret these on their own terms. Apparently, what our Founding Fathers had in mind for a better nation wasn't enough for some "law-interpreting" citizens who use the legal system to benefit their own needs.
Take the case of Stella Lieback, for instance. In February of 1992, Stella received a Styrofoam cup of coffee from McDonalds while sitting in the passenger seat of her grandson's car. According to urban legend, she was driving the car while the coffee sat in her lap. In fact, her grandson was at the wheel, while she tried to add cream and sugar to her bland coffee. As she removed the lid, the contents from the cup spilled all over her lap and Stella received third-degree burns all over her thighs, buttocks, and groin area. Although the settlement was not disclosed, a jury originally awarded Mrs. Lieback $2.7 million in damages. Nowadays, McDonalds coffee cups come with the warning labeled "hot" to ensure the safety of each and every one of us, the consumers, all thanks to the landmark case, Lieback vs. McDonalds. I guess common sense doesn't always prevail in this type of situation.
The American legal system has come a long away since the days of Brown vs. Board of Education and Roe vs. Wade, when lawsuits were intended to fight for the rights, equality, and quality of life of every individual. As much as the Constitution and the Bill of Rights guarantee basic freedom and rights to all, many have taken the liberty to interpret these on their own terms. Apparently, what our Founding Fathers had in mind for a better nation wasn't enough for some "law-interpreting" citizens who use the legal system to benefit their own needs.
Take the case of Stella Lieback, for instance. In February of 1992, Stella received a Styrofoam cup of coffee from McDonalds while sitting in the passenger seat of her grandson's car. According to urban legend, she was driving the car while the coffee sat in her lap. In fact, her grandson was at the wheel, while she tried to add cream and sugar to her bland coffee. As she removed the lid, the contents from the cup spilled all over her lap and Stella received third-degree burns all over her thighs, buttocks, and groin area. Although the settlement was not disclosed, a jury originally awarded Mrs. Lieback $2.7 million in damages. Nowadays, McDonalds coffee cups come with the warning labeled "hot" to ensure the safety of each and every one of us, the consumers, all thanks to the landmark case, Lieback vs. McDonalds. I guess common sense doesn't always prevail in this type of situation.