The Most Over-the-Top Lawsuits of 2015

With 2016 starting, we thought there was no better time than now to take a look at some of the most ridiculous lawsuits that occurred in 2015. Sure, lawsuits happen every single day in the United States, most of which are warranted and filed within reason. However, there always seem to be a select few that we can’t quite wrap our heads around. No matter which way you look at it, lawsuits are serious business that require a lot of time, energy, and money. Even with this being the case, we oftentimes hear about lawsuits in the news that have us shaking our heads in disbelief. And this year is no different. Sure, people are generally smart, but for whatever reason, certain situations seem to throw the blinders on and common sense out the window.

As a well-respected personal injury law firm, we are committed to representing people throughout Dallas and elsewhere in Texas on a wide range of cases, from wrongful death claims to roofing accidents and DUI cases. Unfortunately, there are more people than we’d like to admit out there today who try to take advantage of the legal system and distort the truth, in many cases for mind-boggling amounts of money. Many of history’s most ridiculous lawsuits involve the rich and famous or people with too much money to know what to do with or a false sense of entitlement, such as the case of Batman vs Batman (that’s right, the city of Batman, Turkey sued Christopher Nolan and Warner Bros. for using the town’s name without getting permission first).

Let’s take a look at some of the most outlandish lawsuits of 2015. There are undoubtedly more than what you will find here, but we think it’s a good summation of the different kinds of ridiculousness we saw.

• PETA Sues on Behalf of Monkey Regarding Selfies – After a British nature photographer positioned his camera for a macaque monkey to take a series of “monkey selfies”, animal rights activists within PETA filed a federal lawsuit claiming the monkey owns the copyright of the pictures.

• Armed Bank Robber Sues Over Injuries Sustained When Fleeing the Crime Scene – A California man robbed a bank, attempted to flee, aimed his gun at a police officer, and was then shot twice. Instead of the story quietly dying down, the man sued the county for $3.6 million for injuries he sustained.

• Aunt Sues 8-Year–Old Nephew for ‘Careless’ Hug – An 8-year-old New York boy was sued for $127k by his aunt for giving her a ‘careless’ hug, which occurred at the boy’s birthday party after he enthusiastically leapt into her arms.

• Women Sue for Scratches Sustained from Gas Explosion Blocks Away – Two New York women filed a $40 million lawsuit over “like four, five, or six scratches” they sustained during a gas explosion that was several blocks from their location.

• Inmate Sues NFL for $88 Billion Over Cowboys’ 2015 Playoff Loss – An inmate in a Colorado correctional facility filed a $88 billion lawsuit against NFL officials for an overturned call that stopped the Dallas Cowboys from advancing in the playoffs.

• Police Officer Sues Starbucks Over Hot Coffee – A North Carolina police officer attempted to sue Starbucks because he spilled a cup of hot coffee in his lap more than three years ago.

• Woman Sues Over Flying Dinner Roll – A Missouri woman filed a $25,000 lawsuit against a local restaurant known as “Home of the Throwed Roll”, claiming she forgot to duck and was injured by a flying roll.

As you can see, plenty of legal shenanigans took place this year in America. Here’s hoping 2016 brings more common sense! And remember, the Rad Law Firm is here for all your legal needs, so please do not hesitate to contact us.