Hot Coffee: Is Justice Being Served? is a documentary film that focuses on the influence of big business interest on our civil justice system. The film premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and has also been shown on HBO, garnering critical acclaim and winning several awards.
The film exposes the public relations campaigns of big businesses such as the tobacco, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries which began in the mid-80s and have continued to this day. The campaigns encouraged the public that our civil justice requires reform, and that we have a disorderly jury system and far too many trivial lawsuits. The film supports the belief that big businesses have put limits on access of the legal system – “the one and only place where an average citizen can go toe to toe with those with money and power and still have a shot at justice,” according to the film’s website.
The filmmaker has used this documentary as a vehicle to inform consumers of their rights and of the injustices being done to them by pro-business and tort reform groups.
As a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, I am glad to see that this extremely important issue is getting attention. The product liability lawyers at Panish Shea & Boyle believe that consumer who have suffered as a result of the irresponsibility of another party have every right to seek justice, and we are committed to providing legal services to these people. At our law firm, we believe at fault parties should be held responsible for the pain that they cause others. If you or someone you care about has sustained injury as a result of another’s actions or choices, I advise you to seek out the counsel of a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
