Have you ever been the recipient of some really bad legal advice? Maybe you listened to your buddy who took a law class in undergrad one semester, or maybe your lawyer is just not good at his job. Either way, beware of bad advice and only go with a trustworthy attorney for your legal assistance.
One example of very misguided legal help can be found in the true story of one man vs. Pepsi Co.
Can Mountain Dew Turn a Mouse Into Jelly?
A man sued Pepsi, claiming that he had discovered a dead mouse floating in his can of Mountain Dew. Pepsi knew that this story was totally made up, but couldn’t quite come up with a solid method of proving it. In the end, their defense argument was almost more disturbing than the original claim.
Pepsi claimed that if the mouse had been in the can for a prolonged period (they had evidence that the can was sealed 15 months before the incident), its body would have dissolved into a sort of gelatinous sludge that would have settled at the bottom of the can. They argued that there was no way the mouse would have been identifiable.
Pepsi may have had a good argument to prove that the specific mouse in question was never in that particular can, but in doing so, they suggested that a mouse could end up sealed in one of their soda cans. Worse, we would never know until we reached the unidentifiable mouse-goo at the bottom. Way to go, Pepsi.
Ultimately, a veterinarian proved both parties wrong after testifying that the mouse had not even been born at the time the can was sealed, and it had obviously died in open air, not immersed in fluid. Furthermore, a can of Mountain Dew could not dissolve a mouse as the amount of acid present is not enough to do that kind of damage. Therefore, Pepsi made their own product sound way more disgusting and way more dangerous than it really is, and they never even had to say anything.
Hire a Lawyer You Can Trust
In order to avoid a “mouse-in-the-Mountain Dew” type of situation, the first thing you should always do is check a lawyer’s website. Over half of all lawyers in solo practices and 81 percent of lawyers in firms have their own website. As many as 44 percent of people say that they are likely to check a lawyer’s website before hiring. Make sure your lawyer has the experience, education, and success rate to prove he is worthy of your trust. If you just need a few legal tips you may also want to post your question online. According to one survey, nearly half of all respondents were likely to consult websites where they can post legal questions for lawyers to answer.