Money can't buy happiness...

[Slicker]

...then why is that when something happens people are quick to sue? It's ridiculous really. I was reading an article about the aboriginal people in Australia and getting an apology and whatever other BS and then at the end they said that a call for money won't be far off. So you can take my kids away and make me unhappy but you can make it all better with money? And they'll gladly take it and be done with it. I'm sure I'll hit a soft spot but the same thing applies to reparations in our country (well, yours since I live in Japan ). Why should we all have to pay for something that only a small percentage of our family trees participated in. How many people in America can only trace there lineage back to the early 1900's? I'm betting at least half the country if not more so why should we all have to pay?


Also, people say you can't put a price on life but then I read articles and it seems that about $10 million is the going price that people are happy with when someone dies from an accident.

[Devil King]

I would imagine people who've never had any money don't know any better?

[Slicker]

Well, it's also the fact of stupid lawsuits. Burning your lip on a pickle? Spilling coffee that's clearly labeled "hot"? I know that if I eat something that's hot and I burn myself I get mad at MYSELF and not the restaraunt. I'm the dumba55 that tried to take a bite of something that should be hot.

I just hate seeing people get awarded millions for trivial things. The "mental trauma" one always kills me.

[Kidhuman]

BS lawsuits are ridiculous. That Mickey D's coffee thing was absurd. People tried to sue fast food chains for making them fat.No one is to blame but yourself.

The suing of cigarette companies was dumb also as was the gun companies for producing weapons that killed people. People smoked themselves, no one forced them. People have to pull triggers to kill people, why are the gun companies at fault, oh yeah, they installed triggers. If they didnt loved ones would still be alive.

[CaptainSolo1138]

The suing of cigarette companies was dumb

I'm with you on that. They weren't labeled "tasty, life extenders!" behind the counter at the store.

[Jargo]

actually back in the day cigerettes were advertised as healthy and good for you. 1940's/50's era. people who started back then did have a claim against the industry for false advertising. however they could only claim so much because of course once the facts of nicotine addiction and tarring of lungs and cancer were discovered it's up to the individual to make the choice to continue smoking or not. for those that got cancer and died compensation was due but only for those of a certain age.

sorry if that reads awkwardly i only just crawled out of bed and my brain hasn't engaged yet.

[JON9000]

That Mickey D's coffee thing was absurd.

Here are a few facts about that case we should hasten to add before passing judgment:

"McDonald's refused an offer to settle with her for $20,000 in medical costs.

Stella was burned badly (some sources say six percent of her skin was burned, other sources say 16 percent was) and needed two years of treatment and rehabilitation, including skin grafts.

From 1982 to 1992, McDonald's coffee burned more than 700 people, usually slightly but sometimes seriously, resulting in some number of other claims and lawsuits.

Witnesses for McDonald's admitted in court that consumers are unaware of the extent of the risk of serious burns from spilled coffee served at McDonald's required temperature, admitted that it did not warn customers of this risk, could offer no explanation as to why it did not, and testified that it did not intend to turn down the heat even though it admitted that its coffee is "not fit for consumption" when sold because it is too hot."

In any products liability case there is a bit of a dodo factor to overcome, but we only get the soundbites out here, while jury has the benefit of hearing all of the facts.

Also, people say you can't put a price on life but then I read articles and it seems that about $10 million is the going price that people are happy with when someone dies from an accident.

Slick, we've had this conversation before. Did my arguments have no impact on your POV?

http://forums.sirstevesguide.com/sho...91&postcount=9

Unsaid is that suing when there is loss of life serves 2 purposes, restitution of the victims (which you don't seem to believe it), but also deterrence of unsafe behavior/ encouragement of safe behavior. The nature of capitalism demands that awards be given, because corporations understand one thing only: money.

I was reading an article about the aboriginal people in Australia and getting an apology and whatever other BS and then at the end they said that a call for money won't be far off. So you can take my kids away and make me unhappy but you can make it all better with money? And they'll gladly take it and be done with it. I'm sure I'll hit a soft spot but the same thing applies to reparations in our country (well, yours since I live in Japan ).

Reparations is a pretty sticky subject, because human history is nothing more than a catalogue of technologically advanced peoples murdering and destroying their less advanced cousins. I'm currently reading "Guns, Germs, and Steel", and there is a startling chapter about the destruction of entire nations of South American natives by a few hundred Spaniards. The truth is, had the shoe been on the other foot, tech speaking, the indians would have subdued Spain. That said, I have a problem with reparations, but I have absolutely no problem with an honest apology.

[Kidhuman]

Even though, they had to know it was hot. She didnt order ice coffee. I am quite sure it wasnt the very first time she ordered coffee from there. She had to know how hot it was.

[CaptainSolo1138]

it did not warn customers of this risk, could offer no explanation as to why it did not

Coffee is hot. Does Baskin-Robbins need to put up a warning that their ice cream is cold?

[JON9000]

how hot

I consider myself to be of average intelligence, and until I read this information, I had no idea that spilling McDonald's coffee on my jeans would resulting in my skin melting into the fabric, requiring the hospital to rip my flesh off in order to remove the jeans from my body. That's HOT!

Coffee is hot. Does Baskin-Robbins need to put up a warning that their ice cream is cold?

That depends. Will dropping it on your lap cause the same amount of trauma? Of course not. Like I said, there is a dodo factor involved in these cases, but the level of warning should be proportional to the level of danger.