Stupid People..Stupid Jurors..Funny?
By pismeof
@pismeof (855)
United States
November 20, 2007 6:38pm CST
It's time again for the annual "Stella Awards"! For those unfamiliar with
these awards, they are named after 81-year-old Stella Liebeck
who spilled hot coffee on herself and successfully sued the McDonald's in
New Mexico where she purchased the coffee. You remember,
she took the lid off the coffee and put it between her knees while she was
driving. Who would ever think one could get burned doing that, right?
This year's runaway First Place Stella Award winner was Mrs. Merv Grazinski,
of Oklahoma City , Oklahoma , who purchased a new 32-foot Winnebago motor home.
On her first trip home, from an OU football game, having driven on to the
freeway, she set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's
seat to go to the back of the Winnebago to make herself a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the motorhome left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Also not surprisingly, Mrs.
Grazinski sued Winnebago for not putting in the owner's manual that she couldn't actually
leave the driver's seat while the cruise control was set. The Oklahoma jury
awarded her, are you sitting down, $1,750,000 PLUS a new motor home. Winnebago actually
changed their manuals as a result of this suit, just incase Mrs. Grazinski
has any relatives who might also buy a motor home.
Are we, as a society, getting more stupid...?
5 people like this
17 responses
@slickcut (8141)
• United States
21 Nov 07
How in the world can people do something that stupid and win that much money? I suppose if you want to sue someone you have to go for the big bucks, big companies..Both of these women were neglegant, how can the jury not see this?I suppose they must have had some very good lawyers...Do you know if they have another dream team out there somewhere?LOL
3 people like this
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
21 Nov 07
These cases border on pure absurdity....I think the courts seriously need to consider throwing some of these cases out. Like the lawyer who sued the dry cleaners.....put the dry cleaner out of business....wasted the taxpayers money on a frivilous lawsuit. I think if they lose the suit they should have to pay restitution to the court...and all fees involved by all parties including reimbursing the state for judges wages etc. Maybe if they had to pay if they lose they might not be so eager to tie up the courts. This case though should have been thrown out. Or if she truly didn't know that she needed to be in the drivers seat she should have had her license taken away for being stupid.
3 people like this
@sigma77 (5383)
• United States
21 Nov 07
Incredible! Just think, in the next 20 or 30 years there will be millions of old geezers driving RV's in a similar manner. For this case to even be tried speaks volumes for our fumbling judicial system. We have no reason to complain about the influx of foreign goods. If an American company has to be subject to this kind of product liability, who can blame them for not wanting to build products in this country.
3 people like this
@urbandekay (18278)
•
14 Jan 08
Yes, the window-lickers are out of the bus and running the world!
all the best urban
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
21 Nov 07
Now that's unbelieveable - but I do believe it, of course. Sadly because of stupid idiots like these and the stupid jurors who aware them these ridiculous sums, not to mention the crooked lawyers who represent them when someone is legitimately injured through no fault of their own they're accused of trying to get something for nothing. We need some kind of lawsuit reform but I hope it doesn't end up hurting the real victims who really are out there.
No kidding, that woman really thought that motor home would drive itself on cruise control?? She should have sued her parents for raising an imbecile and her teachers for not doing their job!
Annie
2 people like this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
21 Nov 07
heck, since she is at it, why not throw in the driving school as well. These are basic things a driver has to know before he or she is allowed to even operate one. Not to mentioned she passed her driving test.
It doesn't matter how old she is, there is no car commercially available that is able to drive itself on the highway yet, what in the world gave her the idea that cruise control means auto pilot of the car?
Ridiculous law suit that could be approved for appearing in court. Then another group of people actually agree with her reasoning that cruise control == auto pilot and gave her compensation. On top of that, such a high amount some more!
Wow... the crazy things that happen in life!
2 people like this
@JanMags (724)
• Philippines
21 Nov 07
my goodness this is absolutely crazy. imagine how long product manuals would run if every manufacturer had to put every single common sense warning on them. yeah, manuals should say warning: this product is dangerous for people who do not have common sense
3 people like this
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
21 Nov 07
OMG how stupid to have even sued . What cruise control has been on cars for decades and she didnt know ya couldnt leave the seat? Give me a break ! and I just cant beleeive people the jury gave her this money for such a thing maybe they think it is funny to award this amount of money for the stupidity of the woman reackon?
@imadriscoll (2228)
• United States
21 Nov 07
Not only are we getting more stupid we are getting more greedy. If I do something stupid, but can put the blame on someone else (and become a millionaire) then I'm not as stupid as I look. Yes, the jury is also very foolish for letting her get away with this and encouraging others to follow in her path.
@jillmalitz (5131)
• United States
21 Nov 07
As yes, now you know why Shakespeare said "first lets kill all the lawyers". We have seen so many people get huge awards for suits that we expect to be paid for every problem even if we cause it. So why have some states including Texas made it more difficult to sue in medical cases? My mother lost the use of her hand due to a mistake with chemotherapy. A clear case of malpractice but my father refused to sue. How times have changed.
@kykidd (6812)
• United States
21 Nov 07
Is this story true? Are you kidding me? Wow, you can become a millionaire overnight just for stupidity...sorry Mrs. Grazinski. I cannot believe the people in the world today. It just amazes me. Now, I have been selected for jury duty, what kind of attorney could convince me that this is not illogical.
2 people like this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
21 Nov 07
Wow... for your own stupidity, you can actually sue for money!
What in the world gave her the idea that the car can drive it self when it is on auto cruise?
You mean Auto Cruise actually means driving itself?
How can she call herself a driver when she doesn't even know the meaning of auto cruise?
Can Winnebago not sue the driving schools for not educating their drivers on this basic knowledge about cars?
Man... and how come the courts actually give so much compensation for the stupidity of this woman?
Wow, for being stupid, and still stupid enough to sue for compensation, she became a millionaire.
Talk a bout a fool's luck!
Geez! What is the world coming to?
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
21 Nov 07
Our society has become more and more litigious in recent decades, pismeof, and that just helps to drive up the costs of everything. We saw the effects it has had on the medical field. People will sue over ANYTHING! Businesses must pay higher premiums for insurance, and naturally, they pass the costs on to the consumer. It's not enough to ask for (actual) damages any more. People want to be able to live like royalty for the rest of their lives.
2 people like this
@Mirita (2668)
• United States
24 Nov 07
Yes, not too long ago I knock on someone's door and this person told me that I could be accused of disturbing the peace. I had car trouble and I forgot my cell phone and I just wanted to call my family for help. The person didn't have a door bell. Can you believe this stupid individual?
@mugglegirl (51)
•
21 Nov 07
Stories like this make me sick. There are some things you just do not need to be told, such as knowing you cannot leave a fricking Winnebago motor home without a driver so you can go in the back to make a sandwich.
Sometimes you read instructions on things that are so simplistic you feel rather insulted that the makers felt the need to put such instructions there. You know, like on Cookers when there is a sticker that says "Caution; Will get hot if turned on". Then you read about the stupid people in the world and realize it is all their fault.
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
21 Nov 07
are you serious??? my godness... if this is really true, then it just shows that our society is getting more and more stupid... how ridiculous it is to get so much money for doing something stupid while many of us here have to work hard to earn money to make ends meet... i just think that it is not fair at all...
@crazy_ol_lady (1014)
• United States
21 Nov 07
While awarding this woman such a large compensation, are we not just showing others how easy it is to do something stupid and getting rewarded for it? The judicial definitely needs a good going over. The courts are being kept tied up for stupid things, and the more important cases are being put on hold indefinitely.
Happy posting..
