Faces of Lawsuit Abuse

Nutella class action settlement far worse than being reported

tgilmore — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:52:11 +0000

Class members who stand to receive a cut of a settlement may scoff at the meager recovery from the suit, but the lawyers that brought the suit aren’t complaining – they will collect nearly $5 million for their part in the litigation, which claimed advertising for Nutella overstated the product’s nutritional benefits.

Text message sender may be held responsible for car crash

tgilmore — Thu, 10 May 2012 19:18:09 +0000

After a distracted driver checking his messages hits a motorcycle, who gets sued? The person who sent him a text message! The victims’ suit says the texter knew the driver was on the road and was “electronically present” in the vehicle.

Lottery lawsuit

tgilmore — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:31:30 +0000

An Arkansas woman who found a winning lottery ticket in a trashcan is being sued by the original owner of the ticket. The original purchaser said she tossed the ticket when a scanner incorrectly said it was not a winner. The woman who found and claimed the $1 million prize says the ticket was abandoned, and has already started spending the winnings.

Charleston attorney sues county commission for home confinement injury

tgilmore — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:30:24 +0000

A West Virginia lawyer that was convicted of beating a former client with a baseball bat is suing the commission that oversees his house arrest. The attorney, who was sentenced to 1-5 years of home confinement for malicious wounding, says the ankle bracelet that monitors his whereabouts caused his leg to get an infection.

Redwood City Parents Sue School District Over Student’s Cheating Punishment

tgilmore — Wed, 02 May 2012 13:23:57 +0000

A California high school student was kicked out of his honors English class for copying another student’s homework, a punishment that is in keeping with the school’s Academy Honesty Pledge. Now, the student’s parents are suing the school, claiming that the school’s policy on cheating is “vague and contradictory.”

Man sues BMW for 20-month erection after bike ride

tgilmore — Wed, 02 May 2012 13:22:08 +0000

A biker claims that a four-hour ride on his BMW motorcycle with a ridge-like seat has left him with a persistent erection and made it impossible for him to engage in sexual activity.

Lawyer Claims He Had No Authority to Settle Case for $350K; Jurors Planned $9M Verdict

tgilmore — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:54:18 +0000

A California trial lawyer that accepted a $350,000 settlement offer is trying to undue the agreement after he found out the jury was prepared to render a $9 million verdict. The attorney claims he had no authority to settle the case, and wants the judge to grant a new trial.

Lawsuit against Apple for ‘bait apps’ gets go-ahead

tgilmore — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:40:33 +0000

Apple is being sued over its “freemium” apps by a group of angry parents. The class action claims that certain apps can be downloaded for free, but then charge their iTunes account if the kids make in-app purchases for extra features. The plaintiffs say Apple wrongly advertised the apps as free, but Apple responds that the purchases are password protected and parents shouldn’t give the kids access (plaintiffs counter that there was a 15-minute window after the app download – since eliminated – where kids could still make purchases).

INTERNATIONAL: Worker injured during sex gets compensation payout

tgilmore — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:39:20 +0000

Apparently, Americans aren’t the only ones who file frivolous suits. Case in point – an Australian woman took her company to court for compensation after she hurt herself having sex in her hotel room while on a work trip.

Toms River Couple Sues Landlord Over Alleged Paranormal Activity

tgilmore — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:24:00 +0000

A New Jersey couple is taking their landlord to court, alleging that the house they rented is haunted. They say they’ve heard eerie noises, seen lights flicker, and felt tugs on their bed sheets, and even called in a paranormal research group to investigate. The landlord thinks they’re just trying to get out of their lease.