Hot Coffee – Burning Through the Lies Surrounding Tort Reform
The McDonald’s Case. Everyone’s familiar with it. A woman spills coffee on herself while driving and sues McDonald’s for tens of millions of dollars because the coffee was hot. Just another example of an out of control litigious society and a person looking for quick money. Right?
What would you say if you discovered you were wrong? That the “facts” of the case were not only distorted but were used in a concerted effort by big business and their cronies to restrict your access to justice?
An eye-opening film does just that – and much much more.
Hot Coffee is a new documentary that successfully pulls back the veil of deceit that spawned the tort reform movement fooled many into believing it would help consumers. This movement, spearheaded in Texas, has led to crippling damage caps and obstacles to justice.
As a trial lawyer and advocate for individuals’ rights, I have seen firsthand the effects of tort reform on our citizens. The deceit and backroom dealings that created the campaign for tort reform that resulted in far reaching damage caps are shocking.
Hot Coffee covers a lot of ground during its running time and isn’t restricted just to the facts of the McDonald’s case. It accurately lays out the tactics that have been used to not only place caps on damages, but how juries have been silenced, employees have lost their day in court and how corporations and their lobbyists have poured their time and money into brazen efforts to elect pro-reform judges. And it does all this in an entertaining, thought-provoking way using real world case studies and interviews.
I could go in depth about the events and facts discussed in the film, but honestly, it would be impossible for me to make the impact that this film does. When you see the faces and hear the stories firsthand of those who have seen their access to justice unfairly ripped from them you will understand.
Hot Coffee is currently being shown on HBO, HBO On Demand and HBO GO. For those without access to HBO, you can sign up for updates on DVD availability by visiting the film’s official website – hotcoffeethemovie.com.
I would also suggest that you check out the Take Action tab on their website. There you will find information on how you can fight to overturn the decades of attacks on YOUR civil justice system.
Category: Legal Briefs
