It was back in 1992 that Stella Liebeck successfully sued McDonalds for third degree burns. Liebeck was eventually awarded $160,000 in compensation and a further $2.7 million in punitive damages. Liebeck suffered third degree burns to her legs after she tried to remove the lid of her cup to add sugar. McDonalds would not agree to a settlement of $20,000. Instead it went to court – and paid in both cash and in public image.
Two years earlier in 1988, two men in Ohio suffered terrible burns when carpet adhesive sitting on a water heater caught fire after the heater was kicked. Both the adhesive and the heater carried warnings but the men argued that this was not enough to alert them to the explosion that was to follow. They claimed against the manufacturer of the adhesive and were awarded $8 million.
Massive Claims for Cyclists in the UK
Here in the UK, a professional cyclist won the largest compensation payout ever to be awarded in this country. The cyclist, who had competed in the Commonwealth Games before his accident, was left with the use of only one arm, partially blind and requiring 24 hour care. He eventually received £14 million after appealing the first proposed payout of £9 million.
This payout overtook the award of over £11 million to a passenger in the UK who was paralysed in a road traffic accident. Finding yourself in a road traffic accident that is not your fault is very traumatic, even if injury is slight. To find out how you might go about claiming compensation click here.
Dogs and Doctors on TV
The US chat show host Dr Phil was sued by a former friend who suffered serious injuries when Dr Phil’s dog bit her at the TV star’s home in Beverly Hills. The claimant asserted that the dog was not under control or restraint and it was not provoked in any way. Dr Phil is no stranger to lawsuits and this personal injury claim is just one in a long list of other lawsuits that have been brought against him.
Actor James Marshall (a fellow marine of Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men) is one of thousands of people across the US who are suing Hoffman-LaRoche, maker of Accutane, a drug to treat acne. Marshall claims his career was damaged because of the serious health problems he developed after taking the drug. He is seeking $11 million in compensation. The drug was removed from shelves in 2009.
Personal injury can happen in many different ways. If you have been injured and you believe it was somebody else’s fault, click here to get professional advice.
Image Credit : Clive Darra