Ten Most Ridiculous Lawsuits of 2012

I came across this humorous story from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Legal Reform, and while I do not share their views on the need for legal reform… and am certain there is more to each of these stories that would put them in an entirely different light… they are pretty funny. Enjoy:

The Top Ten Most Ridiculous Lawsuits of 2012 are:

  1. Intoxicated Florida driver pleads guilty to manslaughter, then sues victim he killed.
  2. Michigan woman files $5 million suit for the leftover gas still in her repossessed car.
  3. 13-year-old Little Leaguer sued by spectator who got hit with baseball.
  4. Maximum security inmate who went to jail with five teeth sues prison for dental problems.
  5. Anheuser Busch sued when longneck bottle used as weapon in bar fight.
  6. National Football League fan sues Dallas Cowboys over hot bench.
  7. California restaurateur sued for disabilities act violations in parking lot he doesn’t own.
  8. Colorado man wins $7 million blaming illness on inhaling microwave popcorn fumes.
  9. $1.7 billion suit claims City of Santa Monica wireless parking meters causing health problems.
  10. Bay Area parents sue school after their son was kicked out of honors class for cheating.

Incidentally, while there were no fire department suits in the 2012 listing, we have had our share of stories over the years. Recall the 2011 case from Frenchtown Township, Michigan where an impaired driver with a sordid driving history drove into the back of a fire truck parked at a previous accident, had to be extricated with the jaws of life, and then had the audacity to sue the fire department and firefighters who helped save his life.

You can’t make this stuff up…. dot net.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
x

Check Also

Another Assisting Police Lawsuit in the News

A federal court in California has dismissed several counts in a lawsuit filed against the City of Richmond and American Medical Response West over the death of a man, but will otherwise allow the case to continue. The suit was brought by the family of Ivan Gutzalenko, who died on March 10, 2021.

Albany Prevails at Second Circuit in Discrimination Suit

An Albany fire captain who claims he wrongfully was denied a promotion to battalion chief following an off-duty incident, has lost his appeal to the US Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Captain Jeremy Clawson claims the City of Albany rescinded a civil service promotion he earned in 2019 on account of a disability and his race.