[YellowJacket]

From Jonathan Wald
CNN
Friday, February 21, 2003 Posted: 10:28 AM EST (1528 GMT)



Lawyers filed a revised complaint against McDonald's, claiming the food was responsible for their clients' obesity.

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NEW YORK, New York (CNN) -- Lawyers who last month couldn't get a federal judge to bite on their claims that McDonald's food was responsible for making their clients fat went back to the counter for a second helping Thursday, filing a revised complaint accusing the fast food giant of making misleading nutritional claims.

The original complaint was dismissed on January 22 by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Sweet, who said plaintiffs failed to show that McDonald's food was "dangerous in any way other than that which was open and obvious to a reasonable consumer."

But he gave lawyers for the obese McDonald's eaters 30 days to amend the complaint to try to establish that there were dangers that were "not commonly well known."

In the revised complaint, attorney Samuel Hirsch accused McDonald's of "deceptive practices in the advertising, processing and sale of foods, including Chicken McNuggets, Filet-O-Fish, Chicken Sandwich, french fries and hamburgers."

Hirsch asked for class-action status for the suit on behalf of "hundreds of thousands of New York state residents under the age of 18" who suffer health problems as a result of eating McDonald's food.

In the 46-page complaint, Hirsch alleged that McDonald's does not make its nutritional information "adequately available" and said numerous claims made by the fast-food chain are misleading and untrue.

While a McDonald's nutritional booklet claims the fish in a Filet-O-Fish is "100 percent cod with a pinch of salt to taste after cooking," the list of ingredients for the sandwich includes modified corn starch, dextrose, cellulose gum, citric acid and an anti-foaming agent called dimethylpolysiloxane, the complaint alleges.

The suit also alleges that while McDonald's claimed in advertisements that its beef is nutritious and leaner than beef purchased in a supermarket, the levels of saturated fat and cholesterol would not make the beef nutritious. The United States Department of Agriculture has also found that meat used in fast-food outlets was generally fattier than retail meat purchased in grocery stores, the complaint said.

In a statement McDonald's called the new lawsuit "senseless" and accused the plaintiffs of "focusing on only one food organization."

"McDonald's serves quality food and ingredients from quality suppliers and continues to be a leader in providing customers with nutritional information about our food," the statement said.

Legal action first of its kind
A McDonald's spokesman told CNN in a telephone interview that "eating McDonald's food can easily fit into a balanced diet. I eat its food every day, and I'm perfectly healthy."

Lawyers representing McDonald's have also said "every responsible person understands what is in products such as hamburgers and fries, as well as the consequence to one's waistline, and potentially to one's health, of excessively eating those foods over a prolonged period of time."

McDonald's lawyers also contend that it would be impossible to establish whether eating at McDonald's was a major cause of ailments because genetics, medical conditions and sedentary lifestyles could also be factors. Company lawyers also warned that if the case were allowed to proceed, "it would lead to an avalanche of litigation."

The landmark legal action was the first of its kind against a fast-food chain to make its way into a U.S. courtroom.

"Contrary to what many may think, we are not looking to get rich from a large money settlement," Hirsch told CNN. "We are proposing a fund that will educate children about the nutritional facts and contents of McDonald's food."

The original suit was filed last August by the parents of two girls who claimed McDonald's and two of its restaurants in the Bronx failed to clearly and conspicuously disclose the ingredients and effects of its food, including high levels of fat, salt, sugar and cholesterol.

The plaintiffs argued that McDonald's should be held accountable for the girls' obesity, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol.

The girls, also listed as plaintiffs in the revised complaint, are Jazlyn Bradley and Ashley Pelman. Bradley, 19, is 5-feet-6 and weighs 270 pounds; Pelman, 14, is 4-feet-10 and 170 pounds.

Bradley said her regular diet included an Egg McMuffin for breakfast and a Big Mac meal for dinner. Pelman preferred Happy Meals and said she ate at McDonald's three or four times a week.

Bradley's father, Israel, said he never saw anything in the Bronx restaurants that informed him of the food's ingredients. "I always believed McDonald's was healthy for my children," he said in an affidavit.

[40 in 12]

nayyy with lawsuit. Those people need to get there asses over here and get into shape cuz even with all that money they are suing for you cant buy a healthy body, you need to work at it.

[wardog]

Originally posted by YellowJacket

Bradley's father, Israel, said he never saw anything in the Bronx restaurants that informed him of the food's ingredients. "I always believed McDonald's was healthy for my children," he said in an affidavit. [/b]

You must be kidding right? Stupid people really shouldn't breed

[40 in 12]

yeh if i was president,.... ah lets not get into that....it has been known for years maybe even decades that fast food restaurants are not very healthy....and they think they can just claim they didnt know...that money should be going to a chldrens hospital not to those fata$$es who probably open a franchise if they win the lawsuit

[Sheesh]

Originally posted by wardog


You must be kidding right? Stupid people really shouldn't breed

lol....


i thought this whole suing McDonald's **** was over...stupid ****ing legal system...

[YellowJacket]

Just read an article where its going overseas to the UK now....

[bigliftsCNU]

can someone please tell me... what the hell is happening to personal responsibility in this country ?

[Biggs]

dumb, fat, ignorant, greedy pieces of ****

[CerealKiller]

I can't wait until they go after the supplement companies that don't live up to label claims, but I probably won't live that long.

[dez/null]

they will keep screwing with mc donalds. wtf. fat ****s should just ****ing hang themselves.


i bet its like this....


(fat guy looks at a the scale in the bathroom) "Uh ohh better call my lawyar!"


DIE YOU FAT WORTHLESS SACKS OF SKIN! DIE!!

[Nelson]

The children should be suing their parents for making them fat, obese little pigs.
As parents they owe their children a duty of care in regards to the health.
These parents have failed miserably.

[bigliftsCNU]

Originally posted by CerealKiller
I can't wait until they go after the supplement companies that don't live up to label claims, but I probably won't live that long.

any former newbies like myself want to take on muscletech???

[CerealKiller]

Originally posted by bigliftsCNU



any former newbies like myself want to take on muscletech???

Would rather take on SportOne or VPX.

[pudgy]

maybe i should sue my mom and dad for giving me inferior genes and causeing me to be cutting my whole life.

[Rictor33]

I swear people will file suit over anything. ****ing fatbodies control your diet.

[bigliftsCNU]

Originally posted by CerealKiller



Would rather take on SportOne or VPX.

lets get em all..... the more mone........... i mean the more the merrier

[YellowJacket]

Nice pudgy, I forgot I have that pic too....this one is what needs to happen....

[msclbldrguy]

NEW YORK, New York (CNN) -- Lawyers who last month couldn't get a federal judge to bite on their claims that McDonald's food was responsible for making their clients fat went back to the counter for a second helping Thursday, filing a revised complaint accusing the fast food giant of making misleading nutritional claims.

I guess they thought there's more than one way to skin a cat...

But he gave lawyers for the obese McDonald's eaters 30 days to amend the complaint to try to establish that there were dangers that were "not commonly well known."

In the revised complaint, attorney Samuel Hirsch accused McDonald's of "deceptive practices in the advertising, processing and sale of foods, including Chicken McNuggets, Filet-O-Fish, Chicken Sandwich, french fries and hamburgers."


Bullshit

Hirsch asked for class-action status for the suit on behalf of "hundreds of thousands of New York state residents under the age of 18" who suffer health problems as a result of eating McDonald's food.

"Contrary to what many may think, we are not looking to get rich from a large money settlement," Hirsch told CNN. "We are proposing a fund that will educate children about the nutritional facts and contents of McDonald's food."

uummm...i believe that is already out there.

The original suit was filed last August by the parents of two girls who claimed McDonald's and two of its restaurants in the Bronx failed to clearly and conspicuously disclose the ingredients and effects of its food, including high levels of fat, salt, sugar and cholesterol.

The plaintiffs argued that McDonald's should be held accountable for the girls' obesity, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol.

I still think their parents should be sued for child abuse or neglect for allowing their kids to get in this shape.

The girls, also listed as plaintiffs in the revised complaint, are Jazlyn Bradley and Ashley Pelman. Bradley, 19, is 5-feet-6 and weighs 270 pounds; Pelman, 14, is 4-feet-10 and 170 pounds.

And I suppose he just now noticed his overweight daughter? 5'6" and 270!! where were her parents...i guess they thought their daughter was eatin too many apples since micky d's is so healthy

Bradley's father, Israel, said he never saw anything in the Bronx restaurants that informed him of the food's ingredients. "I always believed McDonald's was healthy for my children," he said in an affidavit. [/b][/quote]

What planet is this guy from??!!
If this werent so sad it would be funny.....