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A personal injury lawsuit is a case in which a plaintiff has suffered physical, emotional, or psychological trauma due to another party's carelessness, recklessness, or malpractice. Personal injury cases typically involve lawsuits against reckless drivers, drunk drivers, companies or business owners that have been negligent, and manufacturers who have made faulty products.
Most personal injury cases are resolved in settlements made out of court in which the defendant offers adequate compensation to the plaintiff for their losses.
Occasionally, you will hear about unusual personal injury cases that make you laugh or are simply too bizarre.
Are you considering filing a personal injury lawsuit but must decide whether to proceed because your case might not be strong?
Why not look here - Whether you've experienced physical or financial harm, personal injury attorneys can assist you in personal injury, workers' compensation, social security disability, veterans' affairs benefits, and car accidents. Taking the time to read about peculiar personal injury lawsuits and their outcomes could provide valuable insights for evaluating the strengths of your case. You would be surprised to learn how strange personal injury lawsuits can become in the US.
Bizarre Personal Injury Lawsuits & Their Outcomes
1. A killer whale that lived up to its name
The killer whale has a reputation for being a dangerous sea-faring mammal in the animal kingdom due to its ability to hunt in packs to kill even some of the most dangerous sharks in the oceans. Unfortunately, the orca also looks cute and harmless enough to be considered a marine life attraction.
Tilikum has been a killer whale at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida, for the last three decades. The orca has been involved in several controversies regarding the captivity of marine creatures, including a 2013 documentary that shed light on the treatment of specimens at theme parks.
Tilikum has reminded theme park goers of the risks of keeping animals captive for their entertainment by killing three people over the years. The first and third fatalities involved staff members in accidents. The second fatality involved a man who did not understand the dangers of messing with an animal literally called a killer whale.
27-year-old Daniel P. Dukes hid inside the theme park after it closed and tried to swim with the killer whale. The staff at SeaWorld found his corpse on the back of Tilikum the following day, having sustained substantial wounds all over his body.
Daniel's parents filed a personal injury lawsuit against SeaWorld, citing their security oversights as the reason for their son's death. The couple accused the theme park of giving the false impression that the creature was harmless by selling stuffed animals of orcas.
The couple eventually withdrew their multimillion-dollar lawsuit after a few weeks. Still, the fact that they decided to pursue a case with little to no chance of winning in court is bizarre enough.
2. A horror presentation that did precisely what it was supposed to
Universal Studios boasts Hollywood Horror Night's event - a premiere horror event that lets attendees enjoy the thrilling onscreen horror scenes first-hand by bringing them to life. Most people enjoy these experiences and attend events like this to experience the spectacle. Unfortunately, these events are too much for some attendees.
One such case was of a woman who attended an event in 2011 that featured a werewolf tasked with terrorizing the attendees. Holly Hindman filed a lawsuit against NBC Universal Studios, claiming that the employee who played the werewolf character struck her with the intent of causing her physical harm.
Holly, who went to the event knowing what was in store for her, claimed that the employee struck her and injured her eye. She also proceeded to hold the company responsible for hiring that employee. Holly argued that the incident caused her significant distress and left her unable to work for a long time.
As bizarre as it sounds, she did manage to file the case. The most confusing thing about the case is how many parties it references as defendants, from the actor, trainers, employers, and event organizers. The issue remains unresolved to this day.
3. A hot cup of coffee . . . That was hot!
It is natural to assume that when something you are drinking or eating is steaming hot, it is best to be extra careful so that you make sure not to put yourself in a situation that could compromise your safety. When it comes to a hot cup of coffee while you are commuting, most people might agree that using your knees to secure the cup is not the best idea.
Stella Liebeck, an Albuquerque resident, was confident in using her knees to hold her cup of coffee in 1992. She wanted to pour some cream into her scalding hot cup of coffee. Unfortunately, she spilled the hot coffee all over her lap while removing the lid from her cup, severely burning the skin on her inner thighs and giving her third-degree burns.
This incident resulted in the filing of one of the most compelling personal injury lawsuits in the US. Also known as "The McDonald's Hot Coffee" lawsuit, this clear case became famous. Stella Liebeck's lawyer accused the fast-food chain of serving coffee hotter than its competitors and that this was most likely the cause of her injuries. McDonald’s eventually admitted to serving coffee hotter than other fast-food restaurants for reasons such as being able to drink it when commuters finally got to work.
McDonald's refused to settle the case. However, the jury that heard her case decided to award Liebeck $160,000 (which included a 20% reduction for her contribution of being the one that spilt the coffee) to cover her medical expenses, including skin-grafting treatments for the burns. Additionally, the jury awarded $2.7 million in punitive damages. The judge ended up reducing the amount to $640,000. Both parties appealed this decision.
The case may seem quite ridiculous, but it ended up being settled out of court between Stella Liebeck and McDonald's for an undisclosed amount. Although some legal scholars may refer to this case as a laughable example of excessive litigation, other legal professionals would argue that Stella received a well-merited compensation award for the shocking injuries she had to endure.
Stella's case is so infamous (or famous, depending on how you look at it) that a website was created in her honor. The Stella Awards is a website dedicated to highlighting “frivolous” cases.
Are You Looking For A Personal Injury Lawyer in Florida?
Personal injury lawsuits like these are odd, but they can give you a better idea of what can or cannot be a valid claim in a court of law. Fortunately, strange cases like these do not tarnish other genuine cases' validity.
Florida has seen its fair share of unusual personal injury cases. Fortunately, the courts only spend a little time on such cases. Suppose you want to file an individual injury case in Florida that warrants proper compensation and need help making a solid case; hiring experienced personal injury lawyers in the Tampa Bay area, such as The Fran Haasch Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers can benefit you.
The level of skill varies significantly from attorney to attorney. Choosing experts with an excellent track record can make a difference in helping you seek a desirable outcome for your case. Based in Palm Beach, the lawyers at Frankl & Kominsky Injury Lawyers specialize in personal injury law West Palm Beach in Florida.
The attorneys on our team have a reputation for ensuring that their clients never have to settle for less in their personal injury claims. They are also fearless in trialing the case if a settlement offer is unfair. Contact the Frankl & Kominsky Injury Lawyers team if you are based in Florida and feel you have a valid personal injury case.
