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The Center for America’s Bob Dorigo Jones breaks down the product warning labels that mock common sense.
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Reported I don't -- suited for use for years but I keep coming back to -- does evil just goes on and on.
I'm embarrassed that over the years some of my salary has been paid by the very people -- complain about have you been hurt in a car accident that you.
Can't hurt in a car wreck more benefits higher -- toward.
All of these sue happy lawyers cost us a time and then they act like we should thank them for protecting us.
It's the fear of their lawsuits that has many nasty unintended consequences -- Start this show with one of the less important ones because frankly it's more fun.
Stupid working labels.
Procter regal Jones runs something called the wacky warning label contest.
If you submit one label voted the dumb -- you win a thousand -- After reviewing hundreds of entries Bob is -- -- down to his five favorites and again this year he agrees to let you -- studio audience.
Picked the stupidest.
Okay.
Good.
Good good.
8000 bucks -- that goes to the person who submitted the products so Bob Michel as what are your five finalists this year well this is an electric razor.
It has a warning label -- CNN the couple products over the fifteen years we've done this.
It says do not use while sleeping.
But maybe somebody's trying to get an early start on the -- and this happens because.
Why does this happen.
I thought I had the answer but it.
-- -- somebody's suing because they did something while asleep yes anybody who makes a product America is constantly looking over their shoulder for the next lawsuit because they've -- lawsuits like.
The guy who was playing basketball dunk the ball somehow managed to catch his teeth in the net.
So he -- -- that maker and walked away with 50000 dollars.
And and this just kills opportunity for people because that fifty found could have been spent for something useful but.
To be clear with that doesn't happen often.
Usually ridiculous since like that get thrown out but even paying your lawyer to get him thrown out can cost fifteen to house that's right even when you win you lose -- America you might.
Ultimately win the lawsuit but you've blown your life savings in defending your good name -- -- -- we hear that all the time.
And so if you don't put a warning label you'll be sued and that's why we see the most than usual warning labels.
Here we have a warning label here's a great little product.
Let's say you're driving down the road you have -- wonderful idea and you want to -- a note yourself what you can take this little real mate.
Attaches to steering wheel car but its us warning.
Never use this product while driving.
I mean that what seemed like a reasonable.
Looking at -- the reasonable war thinks -- want people using while driving but.
As the company explain when we call -- they said it's impossible to you -- while driving the wheel has to be upside down to installed thing.
So -- the car would drive around in circles have you ever tried it.
But -- lawyers said could -- on.
Just in case that's right that's what we hear all the time the lawyers say you'll be sued if you don't one year we had a warning label on a fishing -- -- said harmful if swallowed.
-- The lawyer said you have to put -- there you could be sued.
Product number three -- the letter was from people in your audience -- -- this this is a little neck pillow that parents would put around the neck of their infants in the car.
And this is so that child can sleep or just yes comfortable that it's actually safer keeps their -- stable could keep them from going back and forth and hurting the child.
But the warning label actually says.
Keep this product away from infants and children.
Kind of -- do you sit down.
We call the company they didn't respond here let's let's -- this one Lexus is number four.
The electric skillet it's and the warning says caution griddle surface may be hot jury and after -- I would hope so -- -- probably be sued if it wasn't level.
That's being sued if it didn't get well that's what -- it's a catch 22 in America.
Sometimes he warned against something that's obvious and somebody will say since you produced a product that you knew could hurt somebody you're admitting that.
You created a risky products so.
Sometimes very even their -- warning labels used against them in court of law and a lawsuit is about winning -- it's not necessarily about the truth it's about who's lawyer is better slicker and can convince a jury.
That's we're just threaten to get that far and you'd have to pay.
A 100000 dollars to defend yourself that's right nine out of ten lawsuits in America are settled.
So they don't necessarily that would -- -- lawyer who filed a lawsuit doesn't care if it goes all the way to a jury because they know they can -- -- right they can they can.
Drake you know -- go through months and years in the courts and they know that they gonna squeeze every penny out of that person -- -- In -- in legal bills because Natalie.
Is the lawyer that's higher for the person who claims -- injured.
But the person who was sued -- -- -- lawyers and everybody in the legal profession wins except for the person getting sued.
And to -- -- -- the defense lawyers select a stretch it out because they get paid maybe by the hour the longer it goes the better they do that.
The plaintiffs' lawyers they want it quick settlement quick deal are -- product number five.
This -- after the deal.
This actually says.
These -- should not be referred to for navigation.
And book and we talked to the company they said we know our world has ever changing as a result we would not recommend that they use for educate.
Educational purposes but merely as a decorative items and it's like -- cowering.
First some problem and in this is our legal system is supposed to help victims.
Why you so angry about this -- helps victims they say right it would get a.
Good laugh at these warning labels but the bottom line is that even if I'm never -- you're never sued we're going to pay because all of these products cost more because of the look the litigation -- -- Happening in America all the time.
Not only -- the products cost more but worst a lot of products are never brought to market because the inventors so afraid that they'll be sued.
That that they.
Just shy away from.
Bringing its -- give -- a good example.
There's a -- there a lot of fear but as we have never seen it's an amazing circular saw that will stop in an instant if it touches skin.
Now.
I talk to the inventor he said he tried for years to try to get.
Stores to sell that but the liability insurance was so high that he couldn't do it now.
You have people -- this whole time losing fingers losing hands because of these injuries.
And here he had a product that -- saved their fingers but it wasn't on the market because of litigation.
And because a product like that which is about a dangerous thing is the biggest target for losses so it's these things we need most yet we often loop with they don't even introduce it so it's that and the cost.
And these warning labels which seem harmless except one result is then you don't read the stuff GRE.
Right that plaintiff lawyers -- that they're making America safer by filing all these lawsuits.
I would argue that they're making America less safe because as a warning labels become so long -- putting them out so the warning labels we need to read.
Are getting lost in the jumble of the common sense warning labels like the one and a scooter that says warning this product moves when used.
And talk about -- talk about long labels he ever look at a birth control pill.
Label any -- you happen to have what I happen to have one here.
Is it tiny fine print.
Both sides of the page.
So how does it in the -- as a read this doesn't make us safe and if you didn't read -- you wouldn't want the -- Well if you did read that you probably fall -- -- I'd like you said you would need that they'll do.
So we don't read the things that that might make -- save her hand.
What step letters they have forty.
Warning labels on them now I don't cancel them wearing wet shoes so that all these little stickers take a look at the staff letter you have -- -- -- we think that the three foot step letter may be an endangered species because it's not long enough to put all the warning labels on.
-- last year's winner was a dust masks that war and will not provide oxygen right it's -- common to dollar paper dust mask.
Who would think that supplied oxygen but we were told.
-- lawyer if that wasn't there they could be sued.
Thirty years ago law schools taught -- lawyers that the lawsuit is.
Expensive.
Long hurts people.
This is a last resort rate today well today many law schools teach lawsuits are a good thing.
Oh thank you Bob a law suits -- filed in America every two seconds.
