Who Can I Sue Today

Today makes the second time I’ve driven past this billboard. Very simple question plastered on billboard advertisement asking “Who can I sue ?“ Is this another subtle mind game to turn the American people against each other. Lets see , Who Can I Sue ? My neighbor, my boss, my relatives, just about anybody and for any reason. No real accident with damages nor personal injury need be incurred. Who Can I sue today ?

My thought was … are personal injury attorneys now educating us on whom we can go around suing ? like there aren’t enough frivolous lawsuits already . Doesn’t it seem that advertising like this plants the seed for people to sue regardless if they have been injured or not. Sadly already people sue for the most ridiculous things. Seems like nobody wants to work anymore. Getting things the easy way by suing someone else and taking what another has appeals to the common masses these days.

I held back the desire to prank call the number on the advertisement and ask “Who can I Sue?” await the response and tell them I want to sue YOU. Us ? Yeah, you ! For what ? I don’t know….because I can !”

“Lawsuit abuse” also known as “frivolous Lawsuit disease” cost the US economy over 200 billion dollars a year. In Florida alone almost 1200 frivolous lawsuits are filed daily. Legitimate lawsuits those with real personal injury claims protect the consumer, frivolous ones hurt all of us. It is estimated that the tort system in 2005 costs us on average $886 per person. Money that can certainly be used elsewhere.

A few years ago I remember going with my husband to a caféteria in our small hometown. We had just walked up to the open window and asked for two espressos. Out of nowhere comes this young Hispanic looking guy, maybe in his late 20’s, and addresses my husband mistakenly believing him to be a personal injury attorney.

This is the translated Spanish conversation that takes place .

Spanish Guy - “Brother , I need your help. I just got here from Cuba four months ago. You see , I started working as a boat mate with this gringo that has a nice charter boat in the marina across the street. We went out fishing and while out there I slipped and fell on the boat and I injured my shoulder. They tell me around here that you are an attorney , and that here in the United States I can sue my ex-boss , can you help me out with the claim?”

Observation: This man’s arm is not in a sling, no cast , shows no sign of injury whatsoever. He is gesturing with his hands, waving his arms all the while he’s talking.

Husband - “ Really ? Let me see if I understand - You’ve been here four months from Cuba ? Someone offered you a job , you had an accident on his boat and now you want to sue the hand that fed you ? I’m not an attorney but I’ll give you some free advice . Why don’t you go around town gather a few job applications and use those arms and hands which seem to be working fine to fill them out . Get yourself a job and stop trying to scam a hard working man that was nice enough to give you a job to begin with.”

Before continuing my rampage I decided to look up the advertisers website, Who Can I Sue.

Upon inspection I found out the ‘who can I sue’ is actually an attorney referral service. I’ll admit I was somewhat wrong, although ultimately it is  still designed to find out whom you can sue, it is not the ambulance chasing advertisement I initially thought it was. Going back to the billboard and the boating accident that initially prompted this hub I have to concede that maybe I jumped to conclusions about the young Hispanic. I didn’t have all the facts . Maybe he did have a personal injury claim if there was some sort of negligence, reckless operation of the boat , alcohol or even drug involvement on the part of that boat captain.

You can use the site to look for related information, educate yourself and find out if you potentially have a claim. Bottom line until you check with a qualified attorney with experience in personal injury law and accidents who gathers all the pertinent information and reviews the facts you won’t really know if you have a leg to stand on.

I was impressed with the wealth of information on all legal matters, pending cases and verdicts. It touches on every legal topic you can imagine and has in depth information on current class action suits. It brings forth information on certain products that many of us or our relatives might have used at one time or another and are now recalled for faults or injuries. The website also lists prescription medication and over the counter weight loss products with warnings and informs on pending class action suits. If you’ve ever used any of these dangerous prescription drugs it is worth checking out.

　
　 1. The Stella Lawsuit is considered one of the most infamous lawsuits. McDonalds served their coffee at about 180-190 degrees, hot enough to scorch and cause third degree burns within seconds. After 700 claims for serious personal injuries caused by their coffee, they continued to serve it at that temperature. 79-year-old Stella Lieback suffered third degree burns and was hospitalalized for eight days while undergoing skin grafts. All she asked of McDonald’s originally was to pay her medical bills. When they refused, she and her family sued. Stella did not walk away with millions due to the judge reducing the damages. McDonalds did appeal but ended up settling to get rid of the publicity much more so than to admit any wrongdoing.

2. A woman who attended 'Halloween Horror Nights' at Universal Studios is suing for $15,000 in damages for extreme fear, emotional distress and mental anguish.

3. Barney the Dinosaur sues the San Diego Chicken. The San Diego Chicken is a sports stadium mascot who, while doing a routine, pummeled a Barney look-alike. The judge threw out the case saying that the act was clearly parody and would not cause trademark confusion.

4. A man is suing the Utah State Prison, saying the prison is violating his right to practice his religion by failing to provide him with a "vampire" diet. The man also filed a complaint that he was denied a conjugal visit with his "vampress" and denied to right to the sacrament of drinking blood.

5. In 2005, Austin Aitken sued NBC for $2.5 million. He claimed that an episode of “Fear Factor” caused him “suffering, injury, and great pain.” He said that watching the contestants eat rats on television made him dizzy and light-headed, causing him to vomit and run into a doorway. He judge said the case was frivolous and threw it out

Not all ridiculous lawsuits end up with a windfall, most are thrown out or judgment found for the defendant. And in some cases like with Mrs. Stellars coffee cup, where originally the whole case smelled of another sad frivolous case turned out to have some merit.