House bans fast-food lawsuits
by So it seems that they are currently attempting to pass a bill that will prevent obese people from being able to sue fast food places saying that they are the reason they are obese. It's an interesting idea.
It seems, "the bill is one part of a broader Republican push to reform the nation's civil liability laws by banning what many consider to be "frivolous" lawsuits. We've got to get back to those old-fashioned principles of personal responsibility, of common sense, and get away from this new culture where everybody plays the victim and blames other people for their problems."
Though on the other side, "Some Democrats said they are concerned the bill will make a major sector of the economy exempt from negligence."
There are so many lawsuits going on that are pointless and meaningless and are just people trying to make some money for making a bad decision. It makes me think back to that case where that women spilled scalding hot coffee on herself because she put it in her lap. The fact that she won is insane. Overall I'd say this bill will be interesting if it is approved and becomes a law. Though we can't be fully sure what impact this kind of law will have it's an interesting idea with an upside and downside just like everything.
Here's the article from CNN's website on it.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/03/10/fat.lawsuits/index.html
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17 Comments
it's about time someone in government started to talk sense
McDonalds and Burger King will do away with "supersize" and "kingsize" meal options by the end of the year.
Cue ordering a value meal plus extra fries and an extra large coke!
its like that one person suing the tobacco industry for being a smoker for 20+ years and developing cancer, she sues and WINS! I'm glad they're on the ups to do something about these crazy lawsuits
Except that for years tobacco companies actively denied that tobacco was addictive or at all harmful, (in fact they even tried to claim it had health benefits), whereas fast food companies don't deny that their food is unhealthy.
The sad part about a lot of these lawsuits against tobacco companies is most of it goes to the lawyers. I saw this whole big news story on it it's crazy how much the lawyers have made.
Yeah usually lawyers get about 1/3 of the settlement in civil lawsuits. It is kinda crazy, but then again they usually work for YEAAARRSSS to get the lawsuit into court, and it's pretty hard to win a civil suit from what I hear around here. But still, if the "victim" gets 30 mil, the lawyers get 10 mil, and then whatever has to go to doctors etc. usually you pay all that out of your settlement...
ACtually a civil suit is generally easier to win that a criminal suit. In a criminal trial it need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt where as in a civil trial you only need to prove a preponderance of the evidence.
Exactly. Remember OJ?
o. I duno. It just seems like it's hard to get the money taht the client needs and wants.
ANd also I heard the McDonalds Cofee Lady got like, nothing...
I don't know from my own personal experience it's all from talking with my proffessor who has been a lawyer for about 3
30yrs.
yeah, my "knowledge" is just from workin here, haha, and it seems like a lot of the time the clients wanted more money than what they got in the lawsuit.
And this girl i used to work with, says she took some class in college, and that they discussed different lawsuits, and that the McDonald's lady, her thighs were like REALLY badly burned like 3rd degree burns, and that she didn't get as much money as everyone rumors it to be. Somethin like that.
Of course I have no idea how true that is.
this makes me really hungry
DARN, i was really looking into sueing, Haagan Das,Turkey Hill, & Bryers for being addicted to their icecream!
I'm gonna sue liqour stores/companies/advertisers for getting me drunk and doing stupid stuff.