Monday, December 17, 2007

Signs, signs.... everywhere a sign

"Predatory lawyers know they can file ridiculous lawsuits against innocent
product makers and blackmail them into a cash settlement - even in cases in
which a user has ignored common sense," stated Bob Doringo Jones.

Last week the winners of the 11th annual "Wacky Warning Label" contest were announced. The contest is sponsered by the Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch and tries to show the effect that lawsuits have on the warning labels we find on our everyday products.

This year's winning entry, selected from a list of finalists and chosen by the listeners of WOMC-FM's Dick Purtan show, was submitted by Kevin Soave of Farmington Hills MI. He won $500 with his entry of the warning label he found on a small tractor......... it simply stated "Danger: Avoid Death" which i suppose would be common sense but evidently, some need to be reminded of it.

The second prize of $250 went to the entry of Turin's of Greensburg PA for their entry of a warning label they found on an iron-on T-shirt transfer. That simply read... "Do not iron while wearing shirt." Richard Goodnow of Lancaster MA, earned the $100 third prize with his entry. He found the label on a baby stroller that featured a small storage pouch. The pouch had the warning, "Do not put child in bag."

The contest organizers state that their contest shows how broken America's civil justice system is. The honorable mentions in the contest continue to back up that theory as well. Cyndi LaMonde of Traverse City submitted a warning label the accompanied a letter opener that stated : "Caution, safety goggles recommended." Ann Marie Young of Filmore NY, received an honorable mention as well with her entry that stated "The Vanishing Fabric Marker should not be used a signing instrument for checks or legal documents."

It would seem that not only are companies now blackmailed into being overly cautious....... it looks as though simple common sense has gone out the window as well. It is a wonder that we don't have constant signs posted to remind us to blink our eyes and breath.


For more "wacky warnings" , go here.

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