Weird Things I Can Sue For

We are a litigious society. State courts handle more than 100 million lawsuits each year. Add another 400,000 cases in federal courts. That’s more than one lawsuit for every three Americans.

While some court cases may seem outright ridiculous, many have resulted in settlements or even victories. We highlight a few of them in this article.

To learn more about whether you might have a possible claim, check FindLaw’s Can I Sue pages.

Before we get started, note that many of the plaintiffs here did not have legal representation. If you believe you have a case, you should consult an attorney before you go to court. You may avoid the embarrassment of filing a frivolous lawsuit.

Cutting the Cheese

A woman in Florida sued Kraft Foods, claiming misrepresentation and false advertising in their Velveeta Shells & Cheese cups. Specifically, the plaintiff claimed it took longer than three and a half minutes to prepare the macaroni and cheese snack because the label didn’t include the time necessary to tear off the paper lid, pour in water, and stir the contents.

Plaintiff Amanda Ramirez had been suing for $5 million on behalf of herself and all other similarly situated plaintiffs. The judge said the plaintiff now understood that the time on the label only refers to the cooking time, not the prep time. Sometimes, people need things explained to them.

You’re Not Really What You Eat

Tort lawsuits against food and beverage manufacturers have hit the courts. Customers want to believe what they see, so false advertising and breach of contract cases are common.

• Hershey’s was the defendant in a purported class-action lawsuit because its Halloween Reese’s candies did not have smiling ghost and jack o’lantern faces as shown in advertisements.
• Anheuser-Busch was sued for emotional distress, mental injury, and financial loss by a man beguiled by advertising showing men drinking Bud Light appearing on tropical islands filled with beautiful women. He did not materialize on a tropical island and sued for false advertising.
• Red Bull paid a $13 million settlement to consumers who claimed they believed the company’s cartoon advertising that "Red Bull gives you wings." So far, nobody has claimed they attempted to fly after drinking a Red Bull.

Unhappy With an A, a Student Sues for an A+

As part of a school project, a high school senior interned at his mother’s law office. The teacher gave him an A. That didn’t sit well with his overachieving parents.

His parents sued, arguing that their son should have gotten an A+. Had he gotten the A+, the argument went, he would have been valedictorian of his class, which would have helped his college prospects.

They lost their case.

Man Sues Himself

Here’s an example of what can happen if you spend too much time in the legal system.

In 1995, Robert Lee Brock, an inmate at the Indian Creek Correctional Center, filed a civil rights action against himself. His position was that drinking alcohol violated his religious beliefs and that, when intoxicated, he had committed the crimes that led to his incarceration. He demanded $5 million from himself, but he argued that because he was a ward of the state, the state should pay the damages to him.

Robert lost.

‘Satisfaction Guaranteed’

This is another example of what can happen if you spend too much time in the legal system.

In 2005, new Administrative Law Judge Roy Pearson brought a pair of pants to a dry cleaner for alterations. They lost his pants. He demanded that they buy him a new suit. After negotiations broke down, Judge Pearson sued the family-owned business for $67 million for emotional distress, legal fees, 10 years of car rental fees (he needed to drive to another dry cleaner), and the cost of the pair of pants.

Judge Pearson lost the case. He had to pay the family’s attorney fees, and a judicial panel recommended that he not remain on the bench due to his disturbing behavior.

Mirror Image?

Allen Heckard was not happy that he resembled basketball legend Michael Jordan. He complained that he was continually mistaken for the famous athlete and decided to do the only rational thing he could. Although Heckard, a Black man with a shaved head and an earring, may have looked like Jordan, he was six inches shorter and eight years older.

In 2006, Heckard sued Jordan for $416 million and the owner of Nike for another $416 million, claiming defamation and personal injury. He felt that he had rights to the face since he was older than Jordan. The $416 million was his age, multiplied by seven, more or less. He dropped his lawsuit shortly thereafter.

Man Sues To Change His Age

Emile Ratelband, a 69-year-old Dutchman, sued to have his age changed. He believed he had been a victim of ageism on Tinder and other popular dating apps.

The judge dismissed the case, gently explaining to Ratelband that many legal rights are age-based and that changing someone’s legal age could have many legal complications.

Woman Sues Because Jellybeans Have Sugar

This one falls in the "Are you kidding?" category.

A California woman sued jellybean manufacturer Jelly Belly for misrepresenting the sugar content of its jellybeans. Jelly Belly’s ingredients label stated that its candy contained "evaporated cane juice," one of the 61 names for sugar, and specified the total grams of sugar per serving.

The judge dismissed her claim.

Sleeping Student Sues School for Waking Him Up

In 2006, Danbury High School student Vinicios Robacher fell asleep in his math class. His teacher woke him up by slamming her hand on Robacher’s desk.

Robacher’s parents sued Danbury High School, the Connecticut Board of Education, and the City of Danbury, claiming that his math teacher caused him severe injuries to his left eardrum.

His case was dismissed.

Kidnapper Sues Hostages

In 2009, Jimmy Dimmick, a fugitive facing a murder charge, thought he’d add to his problems by kidnapping a Kansas couple. When Dimmick fell asleep, they managed to escape. Dimmick was subsequently arrested.

The couple sued Dimmick for more than $75,000. Dimmick responded by suing them back. His argument? They had a legally binding oral agreement to hide him from the police.

Dimmick’s claims were dismissed.

A Footlong Isn’t a Footlong

In 2013, a teenager measured his Subway footlong sandwich and found it was only 11 inches long. A few years later, some lawyers filed a class-action lawsuit against Subway, claiming fraud and breach of warranty.

The parties settled. Subway promised to make its footlongs a foot long, and the lawyers got $520,000 in fees. The judge believed the settlement was unfair, threw it out, and dismissed the case.

Not All Ridiculous Lawsuits Are Ridiculous

Know that some cases that appear weird, foolish, or bizarre on the internet began as legitimate legal actions. They became subjects of derision thanks to inaccurate reporting and websites that celebrate the worst of everything. If a case seems too wild to be true, double-check your sources.

Woman Sues, but Not Because Coffee Was Hot

Stella Liebeck was a passenger at a McDonald’s drive-thru who ordered coffee. Her hot coffee spilled, causing her third-degree burns. Ms. Liebeck underwent months of skin grafts and surgery to repair the damage caused by scalding-hot McDonald’s coffee. At trial, her attorneys revealed that that particular McDonald’s had had more than 700 complaints about its boiling hot coffee.

Liebeck approached McDonald’s asking for help with her medical bills, which totaled more than $20,000 (in 1991). McDonald’s said "the best they could do" was $800. Ms. Liebeck went to court. The jury awarded Ms. Liebeck nearly $3 million in compensatory damages, punitive damages, and fees and costs. Eventually, the parties settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.

Firefighter Who Fears Discrimination Files Lawsuit

A firefighter in Houston was reassigned when a teammate reported he would not enter a burning building. At a second fire, he had a similar issue and appeared to have some type of seizure. Since gearing up and entering burning buildings is a job requirement, his department assigned him to the training academy.

The firefighter filed suit, claiming his reassignment was due to being "perceived as having a disability" under the expanded Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The perceived disability was fear of fire. During the trial, the city successfully argued that the reassignment was due to his inability to perform the job requirements. The Texas Supreme Court agreed and upheld the reassignment.

Trespassers Sue Property Owners for Negligence

Two teenagers trespassed on property owned by a railroad. While walking around the railcars, they climbed on top of a freight car and were seriously injured by electrical arcing from a "catenary wire" above the car. There were no signs warning that the electrical wires were charged, and a single "No Trespassing" sign was not visible from the access point where the boys climbed down.

At trial, the railyard owners and the train company argued they had no duty to protect trespassers and did not know the boys were on the property. The teenagers’ attorneys proved that the yard was near several schools, encrusted with graffiti, and regularly visited by gangs and homeless people. The defendants had no answer to the lack of signage or why the wires were charged.

The jury awarded them $24.2 million, which was upheld on appeal.

A Lawyer Can Help You With a Civil Lawsuit

Although lawyers filed many of these lawsuits, some of the plaintiffs did the filing by themselves. A good attorney will always tell you if you should take your case to court. They will also tell you when you shouldn’t.

Do your research first. If you think you have a legal claim, talk with an experienced personal injury attorney near you (they handle more than car accidents).