How Frivolous Personal Injury Cases Stigmatize Legitimate Claims

While many people are suffering from legitimate legal problems, some insist on continuing to file frivolous personal injury claims that tie up valuable resources and mock the system. These cases often receive undue media attention, especially on local levels. The results are that true victims with pain and suffering that requires compensation may not be taken seriously, or might even be ridiculed by coworkers, friends, and family. So what is the difference between a time-wasting claim and a genuine complaint? Here are some examples of the worst offenders perpetuating frivolity in the courts.

The Utah Vampire:
A man serving a prison sentence for felony charges decided that the Utah State Prison had violated his rights to practice his religion. That religion happened to be "vampirism." He made requests to prison guards to be supplied with a special diet that was most definitely not kosher. He also demanded conjugal visits from a fellow vampress, as was dictated by his beliefs. When he was repeatedly denied, and likely laughed at, he found a lawyer and filed a lawsuit. His case was dismissed, but not until a judge was forced to review the nonsense.

Cereal Lawsuits:
If you swallow a piece of metal while munching away on your sugar flakes in the morning, and the result is a trip to the hospital for a stomach pump or emergency surgery, then you've got the makings of a strong personal injury lawsuit. If you feel emotionally distressed or misled by the title of a cereal, then please spare the court's time. A company that produces two popular fruity breakfast cereals has been sued on two separate occasions because the berries depicted on the box are not actually fruit, but rather balls of sugar and cornmeal. The cases were naturally thrown out when it was clear that the company wasn't attempting to pass off any crunchy green balls as actual pieces of fruit, but piles of paperwork and hours of professional time was wasted.

False Promises:
Some people escape into fantasy worlds a little too easily, as one man did recently in Michigan. Apparently, after lusting over scantily clad models on beer billboards, and then coming to the slow realization that by drinking the product alone he would never actually acquire such a lady, he became emotionally distraught. Not to mention he kept getting a wicked hangover from his failed attempts to snag a girlfriend. The pain was intolerable, and he subsequently sued the company for thousands of dollars. The case was dismissed in the lower court.

It is clear by these examples what constitutes a meaningless lawsuit, and how the offenders waste valuable time and resources, as well as stigmatize true victims. If you are suffering from a legitimate personal injury claim and have outstanding medical bills, lost wages, or subsequent long-term disabilities, contact a qualified attorney in your area. You may be entitled to compensation. Although you can't change what has been done, you can secure justice and a fairer future.