Bankruptcy

Crocs, Lawsuits, Warning Labels and Neal Boortz

By Scott Riddle

This is off-topic, except to the extent that it does relate to the financial condition of companies and sometimes these issues lead to Bankruptcy. 

Crocs are cheap plastic shoes, but very trendy nonetheless for some reason.  Like flip flops and similar shoes, one can generally look at them and know that are not sturdy shoes.  They are what they are.  Nonetheless, when these shoes are worn and the wearer finds out they are not hard -soled hiking boots, lawsuits are filed.  The latest one was filed by Belinda Skelton, the long-time producer of the Neal Boortz Show.  The story from the Atlanta Journal -

The suit filed by Skelton’s husband, Clark Meyer, is asking for $2 million after the couple’s 4-year-old son (shown below) was injured last month at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport when the popular plastic footwear he was wearing got caught in a moving escalator. Multiple toes were broken on their son’s right foot and his big toe came “within millimeters” of being lost.

Skelton conceded that she was avoiding the message boards Wednesday. “It’s days like this when you find out who your friends are,” she told Buzz with a sigh. Skelton said money was not a factor in filing the suit.

 “We struggled, and we prayed over this,” she said. “But we felt that someone had to force Crocs to do the right thing. We want a warning tag on those shoes.”

I have a closet full of shoes, and probably a couple pair of cheap flip-flops.  I did not need to read a "warning" that would have to be several pages of small type to warn me about every possible harm that could come by wearing them.  I can figure out that they could get stuck in an escalaor, MARTA train or any number of other objects.  I suspect women who wear high heels generally do not look for lawsuits when the heel gets stuck in a grate on the street.  Similarly, if I had  pair of Crocs, I would know right off the bat they were not a substitute for sturdy shows.  One need only look at the product.  Again, the shoes are exactly what they appear to be. Nonetheless, when an accident happens because the shoes are exactly what they appear to be, it is time for multi-million dollar lawsuits.  All of us can probably think of thousands of ways one can be injured when wearing Crocs or any other shoe.  Do we need to have every possible scenario on a warning label?  How about a warning label on kids?

Of course, money is never the reason these lawsuits are filed.  That is, until the time comes to cash the check.  That might also be news for the lawyers who take these cases on a contingency fee. 

 “If some of these [commenters] had to lie next to my son at night and listen as he has nightmares, maybe they would feel differently.

What?? I suspect many would understand that just because there are accidents and injuries, does not mean there has to be fingers pointed at someone else.  I suspect many would also regret not paying more attention to themselves or their children, or buying cheap flimsy shoes then expecting them to wear like real shoes.   If this was anyone else,  Boortz would have a field day but I understand that family has to take priority.

Full post as published by Georgia Bankruptcy Blog on September 11, 2008 (boomark / email).