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By Chelsea Petersen
You never know when you may need legal assistance. Any unexpected event can result in legal action that can rack up a long list of expenses and can put you in serious financial trouble. Depending on your specific legal insurance package, and your monthly premium, you will be able to claim for a number of legal charges, including civil, criminal, and labour-related. Legal insurance affords you, and any of your dependants, good legal advice, and quality representation. It will also cover you for defence of any third party claim made against you. Seeking your own legal representative can be incredibly expensive, especially for on-going cases. Many legal firms even demand a sum be paid up front. Having this kind of insurance cover will ensure your own financial security, and provide you with quality services, should you ever need legal assistance or advice.
8 of the World’s Most Ridiculous Lawsuits
- Girls sued for baking cookies: In 2005, two teenage girls decided to spend the evening baking cookies for all of their neighbours. When they knocked on one woman’s door, she suffered an anxiety attack because she was terrified that someone was outside her house so late at night. While her claim for money to cover her pain and suffering was denied, she sued successfully for the cost of the trip to the emergency room.
- Man sues his wife for donated kidney: After being served divorce from his unfaithful wife, a fed up man sued her for the return of his kidney that he’d donated to her 8 years previously. Failing that, he said he’d agree to settle for US$1.5 million.
- Man sues homeless for US$1 million: In 2007, the owner of an upmarket antique store sued 4 homeless people who would gather in front of his store on a daily basis. The charge was made on the grounds that they scared off potential customers and lost him business. It was also made payable in shopping trolleys filled with aluminium cans.
- Serial killer sues the writer of his autobiography: After writing a book about the life story of a convicted serial killer, the writer was sued by the convict in question; for US$60 million. The killer, who was on death row, claimed to be innocent in all 16 counts of murder he was convicted for. He filed charges on grounds of defamation, and publication of false and misleading information, claiming that it would affect his lifestyle once he was released. It took 46 seconds for the case to be thrown out, long enough for the writer’s publisher to incur US$30 000 worth of legal fees.
- Woman sues her fiancé for ending engagement: After her fiancé broke their seventeen week engagement, a distraught young woman successfully sued him for US$178 000 for pain and suffering, loss of income from her legal practice, psychological counselling expenses.
- Man sues rescuers for taking too long: A few years ago, a man was rescued from flood waters in America. He later sued his rescuers for US$500 000 for not saving him fast enough.
- Man throws dog and then sues the owners for PTSD: In 2003, a disgruntled man in a fit of road rage threw a woman’s dog into oncoming traffic where it was killed. The man was arrested on charges of animal abuse. He later sued the dog’s owner, claiming the incident caused him mental anguish and PTSD. Thankfully, the case was thrown out.
- Man sues family after he ran over their son: In 2008, a Spanish business man was speeding down the road when he hit and killed a 17 year old boy. Because the boy was riding by himself at night, without a helmet or reflectors, the man wasn’t charged. He then sued the boy’s family for the damage to his car. He later dropped the lawsuit due to public outrage.
