Civil Justice Reform
California CALA Groups

AMERICA'S COURTS STUFFED WITH LAWSUIT "TURKEYS"
CALA says lawsuits gobble up
court time and taxpayer dollars

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: PETER BYLSMA
PHONE: 310-795-8532
November 17, 2005

LOS ANGELES, CA – Just in time for Thanksgiving, Los Angeles Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) is presenting some of America’s greatest lawsuit “turkeys.”

 

“Thanksgiving isn’t the only time for turkeys,” commented Los Angeles CALA Executive Director Peter Bylsma. “Lawsuit turkeys like these gobble up taxpayer dollars and fatten up lawyers’ wallets.”

  • Onion Ring Around the Courtroom – A Chicago man filed a lawsuit for $50,000 against a restaurant after hot grease burned his arm when biting into an “unreasonably dangerous” onion ring. The man claimed he suffered “great pain and anguish in mind and body” following the incident. (Chicago Sun-Times, September 30, 2004)

  • Eat, DON’T Drink & Be Merry – Connecticut’s Attorney General has banned the import of a holiday beer from England on the grounds that the label might entice minors to drink the beer. The bitter winter ale called “Seriously Bad Elf,” comes complete with a drawing of an elf with a slingshot firing Christmas ornaments at Santa's sleigh. (CBS 4 Boston, October 28, 2005)

  • Finger Lickin’ Good – A Las Vegas woman planted a human fingertip – which she bought from her husband’s co-worker injured in an industrial accident – in a bowl of Wendy's chili. The woman then filed a lawsuit against the franchise owner claiming she suffered from “severe distress.” After an investigation the woman and her husband were arrested and pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy and attempted grand theft. (San Francisco Chronicle, September 9, 2005)

  • Lawsuit Fly Trap – An Ontario couple filed a lawsuit after discovering a fly in a bottle of water. The two claimed they were so traumatized after the incident that they allegedly suffered from nightmares and loss of sleep. The husband also claimed he “lost his sense of humor and became argumentative and edgy,” among other ill consequences. (Windsor Star, April 26, 2005).

  • Cuckoo for cocoa suits– A mother of two filed a lawsuit against several cereal companies contending their products are not as healthy as consumers are led to believe. According to the suit, the woman became alarmed after watching a news story where it was reported that even low-sugar cereals have little nutritional benefit. (San Diego Union-Tribune, March 29, 2005)

CALA LAWSUIT TURKEYS

“Frivolous lawsuits are one American tradition we can do without. When our courts are stuffed with frivolous lawsuits, real victims with real injuries lose their right to swift justice,” Bylsma said.

 

Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse is a nonprofit, grassroots public education organization with supporters throughout the Los Angeles region. More information is available at www.losangelescala.org.