Personal injury lawyers ensure that you receive the care and financial compensation you need to recover after an accident. Law firms such as Heil Law have been around for quite some time, and personal injury lawyers and the work they do can be traced back to well-known people in American history who benefitted from the assistance that the firms provided them. In fact, here are five historical figures who hired a personal injury lawyer. 

John Edwards

While John Edwards, the former Democratic Senator from North Carolina, has found himself embattled with his own legal issues, he did actually do something noteworthy in a good way when he hired a personal injury lawyer after a young girl was grievously injured by a pool drain. Edwards sued the drain’s manufacturer and ended up securing a $25 million compensation for the injured party. This compensation was the largest awarded in North Carolina’s history.

Gladys Escola

Gladys Escola was a waitress who came into unexpected fame when, in 1944, she hired a personal injury lawyer after a bottle of Coca-Cola spontaneously combusted as she was putting it away. Her hand was permanently damaged. She suffered severe injuries (her cuts were five inches deep and her nerves, muscles, and blood vessels were severed) and rightfully demanded that she receive compensation and that corporations be held accountable for faulty and/or dangerous products. She won her suit against Coca-Cola, and her name became known in the law history books as one of the landmark cases in personal injury history.

Hinkley, California Residents

Erin Brockovich was an environmental activist who, despite having informal legal training, was able to stick up for the “little guys” in a case against Pacific Gas and Electric. Pacific Gas and Electric, Brockovich proved, was knowingly permitting the pollution of Hinkley’s water. The water was being poisoned with chromium, which is deadly to humans and was causing the residents to become sick. The residents’ lives were endangered and Brockovich took a stand for the entire town when she sued Pacific Gas and Electric and won $333 million. This personal injury case became famous and a movie was made starring Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich.

Steve Wynn

The owner of Las Vegas’s famous Wynn Casino, Steve Wynn hired a personal injury lawyer to defend himself against explosive and, as Wynn proved, untrue allegations from Joe Francis, a popular media entrepreneur. Francis was accused of defamation and injuring Wynn’s business and reputation. Wynn won the case and received $40 million as compensation. Quincy Jones, a legendary music tycoon, and producer, was involved in the case as well, as Francis attempted to call him in to testify on his behalf (Jones did not; in fact, he testified that Francis’s claims about Wynn’s character were untrue).

Stella Liebeck

No list of famous historical cases of personal injury wouldn’t be complete without Stella Liebeck’s landmark lawsuit against McDonald’s. This case was also very misunderstood, as some people view it as trivial when, in reality, it was anything but. A cup of coffee was spilled onto Liebeck’s lap when she pulled through the drive-through. The coffee was extremely hot and Liebeck suffered severe burns. She sued McDonald’s for the injury and the case was settled outside of court (though the jury did award her $700,000). Now, McDonald’s has to provide a warning about the temperature of their coffee to customers, alerting them to how hot it is and advising caution when consuming or handling it.

These historical figures and famous cases prove that personal injury lawyers are a vital component of the legal and justice system because they stick up for those who have been victimized and injured. Personal injury cases are nothing new, and their persistence throughout history is a good reminder of why we need them in order to hold guilty parties accountable and secure the compensation needed.   

About the author:

Lautaro Martinez is a freelance writer and professional student who enjoys sharing law and order related artices. If you would like to learn more about Lautaro, you can check out his google+ profile.