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.?