Every so often you will see a news story about someone winning a large amount of money in a lawsuit that seems ridiculous. These unbelievable lawsuits make many people believe they can just sue a company for any reason. These ridiculous lawsuits and large amounts of money involve an area of the law known as product liability. Here is a closer look at what product liability is as well as some ridiculous lawsuit examples.

What Is Product Liability?

Product liability simply refers to a seller or manufacturer being responsible for injuries that happen when a product is defective. Product liability laws tend to vary upon location. Fortunately, a personal injury lawyer could take a closer look at your situation to determine whether or not you have a lawsuit on your hands.

How Do You Know If You Have a Case?

If you can clearly show that your injury was caused by the product, you may have a case. Your attorney will help you determine who should be held liable for the injuries you have suffered.

3 Examples Of Unbelievable Lawsuits

The unfortunate truth is people will sue for just about anything if they think they can make some money. Here are three unbelievable examples of product liability lawsuits.

That Hot Coffee Is Just Too Hot

Stella Liebeck, a woman from Albuquerque in her late seventies, purchased coffee from a McDonald's drive-thru. She dumped coffee in her lap while trying to mix in cream and sugar. She sued McDonald's for negligence because she believed the coffee was too hot. The jury actually sided with her and awarded her $160,000 in compensatory damages and $2.7 million in punitive damages.

Google Maps Should Have Told Her That Expressway Was There

Utah resident Lauren Rosenberg sued Google Maps in the year 2009. Apparently, she used the service to find walking directions to her destination. The directions suggested that she walk down Utah State Route 224. She followed these directions instead of using any common sense and was hit by a car. Her case was dismissed.

You Mean Drinking Beer Won't Make Beautiful Women Appear Magically?

You have probably seen those beer commercials where scantily clad women come from out of nowhere. Most people realize that that doesn't happen in real life. This is true for everyone except for a man named Richard Overton. He sued Anheuser-Busch for false advertising. He claimed that their deceptive advertising caused him mental distress. He was upset that drinking beer didn't result in being surrounded by beautiful women. His case was dismissed.

Despite the fact that Stella Liebeck actually won her case against McDonald's, the important thing to take away from these three examples is that you must use your own common sense to come degree when using products. You are not going to be able to sue a manufacturer for damages because you were injured by using a product poorly or the wrong way. For more information, contact a law firm like Kevin Alexander Law.