Jeanette Ortiz worked for Chipotle for approximately 14 years, where she was eventually fired after it was believed she had stolen $636. In response to her being falsely accused for criminal behavior, Ortiz took action, taking the case to court and receiving compensation of nearly $8 million.
Being a mother of nine, Ortiz worked 50 hours a week as a manager with a salary of approximately $70,000 a year. While suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, Chipotle hired another manager in hopes of filling Ortiz's shoes. After reviewing the surveillance footage, this manager claimed Ortiz had stolen money. In denial of such actions, Ortiz requested access to the footage that would indicate such an accusation was valid, though Chipotle insisted such a request did not follow corporate policy. This too was false, as Ortiz's attorney found that Chipotle did not possess a written policy that explicitly states employees are unable to witness the restaurant's video footage. With Ortiz soon becoming capable of accessing the video footage, Chipotle suddenly mentioned the footage was erased.
Through this case, we can recognize how many cases may be seemingly frivolous, though after further analyzing the details one can determine the reason such accusations succeed in court. The Hot Coffee case is a perfect example of a seemingly frivolous case. When such a case strikes the public eye, many present their viewpoints of how they believe an accusation of coffee being too hot is ridiculous. Though one must not judge a book by its cover, as the accusation has a story behind it and details that could possibly turn many viewpoints around. After becoming educated of the severity of the injury the old lady experienced after being burned, and the temperature the hot coffee was being served at, we soon became aware of the reason McDonald's was forced to pay such a significant amount.
In the Chipotle case, if one hears that Ortiz sued Chipotle after being fired, they may believe she was simply aggravated by the fact her job was taken away from her. They may believe that she does not deserve to receive any compensation. However, according to Ortiz's attorney, she was branded after her false accusation with a label that limited her options to acquire a new job. The accusations also caused her emotional distress along with mental hardship as she experienced damage to her reputation.
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Like the Hot Coffee case, this civil lawsuit was also marked as "frivolous" or "petty" due to the publicity the case received, as well as how the case was framed by the public. As a result, civil lawsuits are seen as a cheap way to cheat corporations out of money instead of what they really are: a way of seeking compensation for wrongdoings or damages done.
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