Judge throws out fast-food lawsuit

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

Think this is the last we'll ever hear about fast-food lawsuits? I loved this part:

 

"Attorney Samuel Hirsch, who represents the plaintiffs, had argued that the high fat, sugar and cholesterol content of McDonald's food is "a very insipid, toxic kind of thing" when ingested regularly by children. According to McDonald's Web site, a Big Mac packs 590 calories and 34 grams of fat while a large order of french fries weighs in at 540 calories and 26 grams of fat.

 

Hirsch said the public may generally understand that fast-food burgers and fries are not health food, but does not realize just how bad they can be."

 

So they were suing because people don't know that eating an extra-value meal every day is bad for you? Uh-huh...

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...-2003Jan22.html

 

NEW YORK –– A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of New York children that claimed McDonald's food caused them to suffer health problems including diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.

 

"If consumers know (or reasonably should know) the potential ill health effects of eating at McDonald's, they cannot blame McDonald's if they, nonetheless, choose to satiate their appetite with a surfeit of supersized McDonald's products," U.S. District Court Judge Robert Sweet said in a 65-page ruling.

 

"One necessary element of any potentially viable claim must be that McDonald's products involve a danger that is not within the common knowledge of consumers. ... Plaintiffs have failed to allege with any specificity that such a danger exists."

 

McDonald's spokesman Walt Riker said in a statement that "common sense has prevailed. We said from the beginning that this was a frivolous lawsuit. Today's ruling confirms that fact."

 

Attorney Samuel Hirsch, who represents the plaintiffs, had argued that the high fat, sugar and cholesterol content of McDonald's food is "a very insipid, toxic kind of thing" when ingested regularly by children. According to McDonald's Web site, a Big Mac packs 590 calories and 34 grams of fat while a large order of french fries weighs in at 540 calories and 26 grams of fat.

 

Hirsch said the public may generally understand that fast-food burgers and fries are not health food, but does not realize just how bad they can be.

 

He did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment.

 

McDonald's shares were up 5 cents to $15.39 each in midday trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

[Guest bob_barron]

DAMNIT!!! There goes my lawsuit against Sonic Burger

[Guest MrRant]

Good. McD's should sue the fat fuck for court costs. He'd be able to afford it if he just put the fork down.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

Sh*t, I missed this the first time I read it.

 

"A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of New York children"

 

They're doing it for THE CHILDREN -- F*ck. 10/20 years from now these lawsuits will be winning...

[Guest EricMM]

I just wonder if whether or not McD's will take this chance to actually try and make their food a little more healthful.

 

I was totally shocked to find out about the vegetarians who sued McDonalds. Apparently they had asked if the fries were fried in animal fat or vegetable oil. McD's said it was Veggie oil, so the vegetarians assumed they were in the clear to eat fries. However, it turns out that McD's adds Beef Fat to the fries before it cooks them and lists the fats as "Natural Flavors" I mean the vegetarians shouldn't have assumed, but it's still questionable.

 

I think they were vegetarians due to religion, which a LOT of religions from India and the area are.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

"I just wonder if whether or not McD's will take this chance to actually try and make their food a little more healthful."

 

I heard about that beef oil fiasco, and those people had a point.

 

Just put the nutritional content of the product you are buying on the wrapper. They could have Ronald holding a sign on the happy meal box saying "This box contains a Grimace wind up toy and 700 calories/45 grams of fat" (or whatever a hamburger and small fries go for nowadays.

 

F*&^ people that overindulge and expect someone else to foot the bill...

[Guest DrTom]

McD's should sue the fat fuck for court costs.

This is why I was hoping the "English rule" would have been enacted by Congress in 1994. The rule states that, in a lawsuit dismissed as frivolous, the plaintiff is required to pay ALL legal fees relating to the case. The corporations these fuckheads always target certainly have some high-priced lawyers. It's an excellent deterrent on frivolous lawsuits.

[Guest converge241]

I was so glad when i read this in the paper..no way this should have even gotten this far

 

i agree on the deterent to these groundless suits

[Guest Ozymandias]

Amen.

 

Now, for all the people who claim that the courts are "out of control" because of the awards granted to cancer victims who win judgements against tobacco companies: I guess the courts aren't as "out of control" as you thought. Turns out you're just wrong about that instance.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

Wait a few years -- the tobacco lawsuits started out by being tossed out as pie-in-the-sky lawsuits.

 

And I'm still claiming that some courts out there are out of control...