Specific Purpose Statement: To persuade my audience that frivolous lawsuits are out of control in AmericaIntroduction:A. Get attention1. We've all heard the story of the woman who spilled hot coffee on herself and then successfully sued McDonald's. But we've also heard of thieves suing homeowners after being injured during a robbery. Most of us laugh at these stories as urban legends invented to show the ridiculousness of frivolous lawsuits, but you may be surprised at how many of these are true.B.1. Let's face the facts: in America anyone can sue anyone for anything at any timeB. Thesis1. To increase your awareness of how the lawsuit mania that has swept the nation has gotten completely out of control, I will provide you with stories and court cases of complete irrationality, otherwise known as frivolous lawsuits.B. Preview statement1. However, the effects of frivolous lawsuits are much more extensive than a simple prank; are largely responsible for the problems with our healthcare system, insurance rates, property taxes, prices of products and services, doctor visits, poor patient care, and even workplace benefits.II. BodyA. It's not every day that a thief can sue those he stole from, and actually win. When robber Terrence Dickson was leaving a house he had just finished robbing through the garage, he couldn't open the door. He also couldn't get back into the house because the door got stuck when it closed behind him. The family who owned the house was on vacation and Dickson was stuck in the garage for eight consecutive days.b. For these eight days, he lived on a case of Pepsi and a large bag of d...... half paper ...... broke his seat belt and drowned.2. Her parents sued Honda for making a seat belt that their drunken daughter, who consumed nearly three times the legal limit of alcohol, couldn't operate underwater. A jury found Honda 75% responsible for his death and awarded the family $65 million.III. ConclusionA. Some of these frivolous lawsuits are hard to believe, and the fact that some of these lawsuits won is even harder to believe.B. These cases have impacted American consumers and businesses by $152 billion annually. So next time you sue someone, make sure it's worth your time and effort, and everyone else's time and effort, too. Bibliography The ten most frivolous lawsuits. Legal Zoom. March 1, 2008. Stupid causes. Power of attorney. 2002. March 1, 2008. Frivolous lawsuits. Washblog. March 1st. 2008 .