----- Original Message ----- From: "Seeberger, Mark" <mark.seeberger@?.com> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, July 12, 2002 8:56 AM Subject: [Seebergers] Stella Award Candidates
> Most people have heard of the Darwin Awards, > given annually to the individuals who do the > most for mankind by removing themselves from > the gene pool. > > Now we have the Stella Awards, given to the > individuals who win the most frivolous lawsuits > ever. The Stella Awards are named in honor of > 81-year-old Stella Liebeck, the woman who won > $2.9 million for spilling a cup of McDonald's > coffee on her crotch. > > The following are candidates for the Award: > > 1. January 2000: Kathleen Robertson of Austin TX, > was awarded $780,000 by a jury of her peers after > breaking her ankle and tripping over a toddler who > was running amuck inside a furniture store. The > owners of the store were understandably surprised > at the verdict, considering that the misbehaving > little fellow was Ms. Robertson's son. > > 2. June 1998: 19 year-old Carl Truman of Los Angeles > won $74,000 and medical expenses when his neighbor > ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Mr. Truman > apparently didn't notice there was someone at the > wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his > neighbor's hubcaps. > > 3. October, 1998: Terrence Dickson of Bristol, PA, > was leaving a house he had just finished robbing by > way of the garage. He was not able to get the garage > door to go up, because the automatic door opener was > malfunctioning. He couldn't re-enter the house because > the door connecting the house and garage locked when > he pulled it shut. The family was on vacation. Mr. > Dickson found himself locked in the garage for eight > days. He subsisted on a case of Pepsi he found in the > garage and a large bag of dry dog food. Mr. Dickson > sued the homeowner's insurance claiming the situation > caused him undue mental anguish. The jury agreed to > the tune of a half million dollars. > > 4. October 1999: Jerry Williams of Little Rock, AR > was awarded $14,500 and medical expenses after being > bitten on the buttocks by his next door neighbor's > beagle. The dog was on a chain in its owner's fenced-in > yard at the time. Mr. Williams was also in the fenced-in > yard. The award was less than sought because the jury > felt the dog may have been provoked by Mr. Williams who, > at the time, was repeatedly shooting it with a pellet gun. > > 5. December 1997: A Philadelphia restaurant was ordered to > pay Amber Carson of Lancaster PA, $113,500 after she slipped > on a soft drink and broke her coccyx. The beverage was on > the floor because Ms. Carson threw it at her boyfriend 30 > seconds earlier during an argument. > > 6. December 1997: Kara Walton of Clamont, DE, successfully > sued the owner of a night club when she fell from the > bathroom window to the floor and knocked out her two front > teeth. This occurred while Ms. Walton was trying to sneak > through the window in the ladies room to avoid paying the > $3.50 cover charge. She was awarded $12,000 and dental expenses. > > Let's not forget to give our lawyers and judges a round of applause! > > > >
