When we think of lawsuits and courtrooms, we imagine serious cases dealing with assault, theft, and murder. But there’s also such a thing as frivolous lawsuits, which are a lot more common than one would think. In fact, there are some people that totally abuse their privilege to sue. So, they’ve taken companies and individuals to court over the silliest little things and the most shocking thing of all is that in some cases, they’ve actually won. But in other circumstances, the courts didn’t see fit to coddle or humor these plaintiffs. So, check out these cases that will have you scratching your head.Pavel was in prison for murder but felt that God turned his back on him when He failed to answer his prayers. So, Pavel sued God for fraud, betrayal of trust, corruption and influence peddling. But the Timisoara court in western Romania dismissed the case quick and easy.
Eden was a former Israeli soldier and a refugee from Nazism. He was also considered the German Hugh Hefner. But he once sued a 19-year-old woman for being ageist after she turned him down back when he was 77 years old. But he later dropped the charges.
NY resident Trina Thompson sued Monroe College for $72,000, which was the cost of her tuition, in 2009 because she claimed the institute did not offer her enough help in finding a job after she graduated. She also claimed that it was due to her 2.7 GPA. Though a ruling was never disclosed, it’s likely she didn’t win.
Daniel Dukes’ family sued Sea World after he was killed while attempting to swim with a killer whale. Medical examiners found evidence that Dukes was pulled into the pool by the whale. The family claimed that the park should have posted public warnings that whales can kill.
In 2016, the man claimed that the game “Fallout 4” was so addicting that he lost his wife, his friends and even his job because he could stop playing. He asked for $7,000 in damages. No word on whether the judge ever ruled in his favor, but it’s highly unlikely.
The suit suggested that Starbucks advertised 24-ounce ice drink beverages, but that the cup only has 14 ounces of fluid while the rest of the space is taken up by an excessive amount of ice. Pincus wanted $5 million on behalf of all customers who bought a cold drink over the past decade. Bust Starbucks spokeswoman Jaime Riley said the suit is without merit.
The California resident felt she was lied to about the high sugar contents, which was more than she expected. So, she sued Jelly Belly for “negligent misrepresentation and violations of California’s Consumer Legal Remedies Act among other things and has been looking for restitution ever since.
The California lawsuit claims Starbucks should pay him for the time Troester spent locking the doors after clocking out and closing. But attorney Blaine Evanson, who’s a pro at these types of wage-and-hour lawsuits, claimed no one would require the employer to pay the employee for an extra couple of seconds or minutes.
Daniel alleged that a box of Junior Mints was half-filled with air, despite the number of mints listed on the package. But Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald tossed the case out of court. But Daniel has unsuccessfully tried to appeal the ruling.
Bray sued Melbourne’s Saint James Hair Studio for about $30,000 citing an expense on wigs and humiliation after a colorist bleached her roots badly causing some of her hair to fall out. The court felt the amount was excessive, but they did award her $400 for her troubles.
Ratelband was 69 but claimed he looked 49 and that prospective Tinder dates were discriminating against him because of his age. So, he wanted to take 20 years off his profile. But sadly, his lawsuit was shot down by the court.
New York residents Mark and Christina Rotondo took their son to court after offering to pay over $1,000 to help him move out. It didn’t work, so they asked the court to order Michael to vacate their home and the judge ordered him to do so.
He claims he suffered severe and permanent injuries after tripping on a discarded Christmas tree. He supposedly experienced mental and physical torment from the incident and sued for an undisclosed amount of money. But no word on whether a jury trial shed any tears for his claims.
It turned out to be the worst date ever, so he sued the unnamed woman for $17.31, which was the amount he spent on their movie date. His argument was that he was upset that she supposedly spent most of the night looking at her phone. The woman gave him the money so he’d drop the suit.
The New York man claimed that his basketball deflated despite ads claiming the ball would stay inflated for an entire year. But Markos didn’t just want a refund. He sued for $5 million for false advertisement, and the case has been locked in an ongoing court battle to this date.
Becerra claimed that she drank Diet Coke because she thought it would contribute to weight loss, but she cited studies that suggested the sweeteners in the soda caused weight gain. Judge William Alsup found Coca Cola’s argument to be less than stellar, but he also felt that the plaintiff couldn’t prove how consumers like her could be deceived. So, the case got tossed out.
Burbella was studying to be a nurse, but claimed that school officials didn’t help her enough and discriminated against her anxiety and depression during her final exams. Her suit suggested that the university violated the Federal Rehabilitation Act by not accommodating her special needs. She has since dropped the suit.
Proler wanted the fire department to compensate him after he was demoted for failing to do his job due to his fear of fire. The jury sided with him and gave him $362,000 in damages. But the Texas Supreme Court stripped that decision claiming Proler didn’t prove he was disabled under the regulations of the ADA’s protection.
Johnston blew $500,000 in a single night because he was inebriated. So, in his suit, he blamed the casino. But the casino wound up countersuing him after he wrote a phony check for $500,000 to borrow money from the casino itself.
The incident happened in 2010 when she sat on a seat that was very hot in order to watch one of the Dallas Cowboys’ games. Her argument was that the team didn’t post a sign warning her that the seats would be so hot. But the lawsuit apparently vanished into thin air.
But Dimmick took a nap which allowed the couple inside the home to escape. They called the cops and Dimmick was caught. Afterward, Dimmick sued the couple because he claimed he had made a legally binding oral agreement with them to help him stay out of jail in exchange for money. In 2012, a judge dismissed his lawsuit.
The Australian resident claimed his boss would take him to a small office without windows and break wind about five times on a daily basis. Hingst sued for about $1.3 million in damages caused by the alleged bullying behavior. But in 2019, the judge dismissed the case citing that flatulence isn’t bullying.
Ruddell claimed that one of the ducks flapped its wings and knocked her back while she was walking. The fall led to some injuries which included a broken wrist. So, she was suing for $275,000 in damages and medical costs. But it’s likely the women settled out of court.
In 1992, Liebeck sued the fast food franchise after the coffee absorbed through her sweatpants and burned her thighs and groins, requiring hospitalization while she was treated. A jury trial awarded her $60,000 in compensatory damages and $2.7 million in punitive damages.
Rector later slapped ESPN with a $10 million defamation suit because the show caught him snoozing on camera and announcers teased him. He claimed the ordeal ruined his reputation. But a judge tossed the suit out of court in 2015 stating his claims were unwarranted.
Bonn climbed up on the Tallahassee, Florida eating establishment’s famous donkey, but it was too smooth and slick. She allegedly fell and hurt herself. So, she sued El Jalisco for over $15,000 claiming the restaurant owner encourages people to ride the donkey but that it lacks safety features like a ladder or a non-slip saddle.
