belgareth
01-12-2004, 03:21 PM
PAST WINNERS OF
M-LAW\'S WACKY WARNING LABEL CONTESTS
In 1997, Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch (M-LAW) began a contest to expose
how frivolous lawsuits, and a concern about potential frivolous lawsuits, have led to a new cultural phenomenon: the
wacky warning label.
You have probably heard about the lawsuit over a spilled cup of coffee. However, there are
many other silly lawsuits involving products that have received far less attention. For example, did you know a man
received $50,000 when he sued a small company that makes basketball nets because he claimed the company was
responsible when he caught his teeth in a net while dunking a ball? People who make products hear about these
outrageous lawsuits, and they often decide to slap common sense warnings on their product... ?just in case.?
Over
the years, M-LAW has received hundreds of warning labels from people around the world. M-LAW verifies the
authenticity of each label and selects the ?Top 5? for each year. Then, a radio audience selected the top three
winners. The past two years, listeners of the award-winning Dick Purtan show on WOMC in Detroit have selected the
winners.
The first place winner receives $500, second place gets $250 and third place receives $100.
Following
is a list of some of the best labels from the first five contests:
A warning on an electric router made for
carpenters cautions: ?This product not intended for use as a dental drill.?
A warning label found on a baby
stroller cautions the user to ?Remove child before folding?
A prescription of sleeping pills says, ?Warning: May
cause drowsiness
A sticker on a toilet at a public facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan actually warns: ?Recycled
flush water unsafe for drinking.?
A massage chair warns: \"DO NOT use massage chair without clothing... and,
Never force any body part into the backrest area while the rollers are moving.\"
A snowblower warns: \"Do not
use snowthrower on roof.²\"
A dishwasher carries this warning: \"Do not allow children to play in the
dishwasher.\"
A CD player carries this unusual warning: ?Do not use the Ultradisc2000 as a projectile in a
catapult.?
An ?Aim-n-Flame? fireplace lighter cautions, ?Do not use near fire, flame or sparks?
A label on a
hand-held massager advises consumers not to use ?while sleeping or unconscious?
A container of underarm deodorant
says, ?Caution: Do not spray in eyes?
A cartridge for a laser printer warns, ?Do not eat toner?
A household
iron warns users: ?Never iron clothes while they are being worn?
A label with a hair dryer reads, ?Never use
hair dryer while sleeping?
A 13-inch wheel on a wheelbarrow warns: ?Not intended for highway use?
A
cardboard car sunshield that keeps sun off the dashboard warns, ?Do not drive with sunshield in place?
A
Bathroom Heater says: ?This product is not to be used in bathrooms?
A can of self-defense pepper spray warns
users: ?May irritate eyes?
A warning on a pair of shin guards manufactured for bicyclists says: ?Shin pads
cannot protect any part of the body they do not cover.?
A popular manufactured fireplace log warns: ?Caution -
Risk of Fire?
A box of birthday cake candles says: ?DO NOT use soft wax as ear plugs or for any other function
that involves insertion into a body cavity.?
M-LAW\'S WACKY WARNING LABEL CONTESTS
In 1997, Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch (M-LAW) began a contest to expose
how frivolous lawsuits, and a concern about potential frivolous lawsuits, have led to a new cultural phenomenon: the
wacky warning label.
You have probably heard about the lawsuit over a spilled cup of coffee. However, there are
many other silly lawsuits involving products that have received far less attention. For example, did you know a man
received $50,000 when he sued a small company that makes basketball nets because he claimed the company was
responsible when he caught his teeth in a net while dunking a ball? People who make products hear about these
outrageous lawsuits, and they often decide to slap common sense warnings on their product... ?just in case.?
Over
the years, M-LAW has received hundreds of warning labels from people around the world. M-LAW verifies the
authenticity of each label and selects the ?Top 5? for each year. Then, a radio audience selected the top three
winners. The past two years, listeners of the award-winning Dick Purtan show on WOMC in Detroit have selected the
winners.
The first place winner receives $500, second place gets $250 and third place receives $100.
Following
is a list of some of the best labels from the first five contests:
A warning on an electric router made for
carpenters cautions: ?This product not intended for use as a dental drill.?
A warning label found on a baby
stroller cautions the user to ?Remove child before folding?
A prescription of sleeping pills says, ?Warning: May
cause drowsiness
A sticker on a toilet at a public facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan actually warns: ?Recycled
flush water unsafe for drinking.?
A massage chair warns: \"DO NOT use massage chair without clothing... and,
Never force any body part into the backrest area while the rollers are moving.\"
A snowblower warns: \"Do not
use snowthrower on roof.²\"
A dishwasher carries this warning: \"Do not allow children to play in the
dishwasher.\"
A CD player carries this unusual warning: ?Do not use the Ultradisc2000 as a projectile in a
catapult.?
An ?Aim-n-Flame? fireplace lighter cautions, ?Do not use near fire, flame or sparks?
A label on a
hand-held massager advises consumers not to use ?while sleeping or unconscious?
A container of underarm deodorant
says, ?Caution: Do not spray in eyes?
A cartridge for a laser printer warns, ?Do not eat toner?
A household
iron warns users: ?Never iron clothes while they are being worn?
A label with a hair dryer reads, ?Never use
hair dryer while sleeping?
A 13-inch wheel on a wheelbarrow warns: ?Not intended for highway use?
A
cardboard car sunshield that keeps sun off the dashboard warns, ?Do not drive with sunshield in place?
A
Bathroom Heater says: ?This product is not to be used in bathrooms?
A can of self-defense pepper spray warns
users: ?May irritate eyes?
A warning on a pair of shin guards manufactured for bicyclists says: ?Shin pads
cannot protect any part of the body they do not cover.?
A popular manufactured fireplace log warns: ?Caution -
Risk of Fire?
A box of birthday cake candles says: ?DO NOT use soft wax as ear plugs or for any other function
that involves insertion into a body cavity.?