When Dumb Lawsuits Attack

There was a good reason to sue over hot coffee

(NEWSER) - We’ve all heard the complaints: America is the land of lawsuits, the kind of place that has to label its coffee with “Warning: Hot!” But Cracked takes a second look at the frivolous lawsuits of legend:

• Woman sues McDonald’s for millions ... because her coffee was hot. The coffee she spilled was hot enough to give her third-degree burns over 6% of her body. And she actually got just $640,000, some of which went to pay for skin grafts. Plus, the jury still called the accident 20% her fault, and reduced the award accordingly.

Coffee chain's failed music label bungled her album's release, singer says

(NEWSER) - Carly Simon intended the 2008 album This Kind of Love to be her swan song, and she was excited about the record company that would release it: Starbucks-owned Hear Music. The coffee chain had wooed her with a big advance and promises of high exposure in stores, but instead Starbucks all but closed its record label 5 days before the album’s release. Now, unable to retire as she planned, Simon is suing the company. More»

61% of plaintiffs who battle it out end up losing money

(NEWSER) - Taking a civil lawsuit to court tends to be a costly mistake, the New York Times reports. Researchers have found that plaintiffs who reject out-of-court settlements end up with less money 61% of the time, losing an average $43,000. Defendants turned out to be right more than plainfiffs about going ahead with a trial—but the average cost of a bad call was a whopping $1.1 million. More»

Skimpy dress, smelly passengers test airline staff

(NEWSER) - If you've ignored the safety briefing on a flight, consider yourself lucky: A Ryanair passenger was kicked off a plane for talking during one. The Times of London runs down 10 silly reasons why fliers have gotten booted from their flights.

1. Group cheers: Fans of a British soccer team broke out in a salute to underwear.