It's Ridiculous! Top 10 Abuses Of The Legal System

In late December, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform announced its list of the Top 10 Most Ridiculous Lawsuits of 2012:

Executive Summary

A Florida driver, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter and then sued the victims of the crash he caused, also has the distinction of filing the most ridiculous lawsuit in 2012.

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

What in the world is the intoxicated driver of lawsuit No. 1 suing for? According to a Florida press report, pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life and the medical bills he got as a result of a crash he pleaded guilty. (Tampa Bay Times, Jan. 14, 2012)

And just how much gas was in that Michigan woman’s car? Half a tank, worth about $29 according to Detroit press reports.

What could be more ridiculous?

Topping the previous year’s Top 10 list was this two entry: “Convict sues couple he kidnapped for not helping him evade police.”

For what? Breach of contract. He was seeking $235,000 because he said the victims promised to hide him in exchange for an unspecified amount of money.

Both lists were tallied from monthly votes cast throughout the year by visitors to the website FacesOfLawsuitAbuse.org.

The Faces of Lawsuit Abuse campaign is ILR’s public awareness effort created to highlight the impact of abusive lawsuits on small businesses, communities, and individuals

Hat tip to Claire Wilkinson, who posted the 2012 list on her Terms & Conditions Insurance Industry blog on the Insurance Information Institute website on Jan. 3.