RE: Documentation Issues: Lawsuits, Regulatory Actions

["Nuckols, Kenneth M" <Kenneth -dot- Nuckols -at- mybrighthouse -dot- com>]

Gene said...
> 
> I know of several instances where companies were sued by people
> *claiming* that products had inaccurate or misleading information in
> their product documents.  However, in all of the instances I can think
> of, the suits were either thrown out or the companies won.  I'm sure
> there must be a case somewhere in which someone sued and won
> using poor product documentation as an arguement, but off the top
> of my head I can't think of any.
> 

What about suits due to a _lack_ of documentation? I think we all
remember what most consider the "frivolous" lawsuit against McDonald's
over the hot coffee a woman spilled on herself. She sued and won because
she claimed the restaurant didn't warn her that the coffee was hot.  

Now every take-out coffee cup from every restaurant you visit says
something like "CAUTION: THIS BEVERAGE IS EXTREMELY HOT." (Quoted from
Dunkin' Donuts cup).

So I don't know if this meets an example of what you're seeking, but
that's a case where non-existent documentation landed a company in legal
hot water (forgive the pun, please, it's early).

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