Stella Awards
The Stella Awards are given by an independent group that recognizes successful
lawsuits that are beyond frivolous. Stella was the name of the woman who sued
McDonald's when she spilled hot coffee and burned herself. Here are a few from
2002 that I thought were worth sharing:
Jerry Williams of Little Rock, Arkansas, was awarded $14,500 and medical
expenses after being bitten on the buttocks by his next-door neighbor's beagle.
The beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced yard. The award was less than
sought because the jury felt the dog might have been just a little provoked at
the time by Mr. Williams who was shooting it repeatedly with a pellet gun.
A Philadelphia restaurant was ordered to pay Amber Carson of Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, $113,500 after she slipped on a soft drink spill and broke her
tailbone. The beverage was on the floor because Ms. Carson had thrown it at her
boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument.
A jury of her peers awarded Kathleen Robertson of Austin, Texas, $780,000 after
breaking her ankle by tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture
store. The owners of the store were understandably surprised at the verdict,
considering the misbehaving little toddler was Ms. Robertson's son.