McDonaldsCase-1
docx
keyboard_arrow_up
School
Stockton University *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
1206
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
Pages
1
Uploaded by lizjafolla
Smith vs. McDonald’s
Facts of the Case:
A man we will call Mr. Smith who weighs 273 pounds walks
into a Boston area McDonalds and orders a Happy Meal. He takes it to a table and sits
down on one of the plastic-molded seats. It cannot hold his weight and it collapses. Mr.
Smith is only injured slightly as his hand hit the table while he was going down and it
was bruised. He claims that the experience was quite painful and embarrassing and as a
result he is now scared to sit on seats.
Mr. Smith sues McDonald’s Corporation for $1
million for pain and suffering. He claims that McDonalds is to blame for having the
faulty seat in its restaurant.
Basic Statistics of the Case:
The average adult male in the United States
weighs 197.9 pounds and the standard deviation is 39 pounds. As in most measurements
of this kind, you can assume that male weight is distributed normally. Although Mr.
Smith has a medical problem that makes him weigh as much as he does, the judge in the
case has ruled that the reason for Mr. Smith’s girth has no bearing on the case. The
company that manufactures the seat says that the average load that its seats can handle
before collapse is 350 pounds with a standard deviation of 22 pounds. Again, it makes
sense to assume normal distribution. Who is to blame here if anyone?
Assignment:
You are to become either the prosecuting attorney for Mr.
Smith or the defense attorney for McDonalds. You are to write a ONE-page
closing argument to the jury in this case.
• If you are the prosecuting attorney, your claim is that McDonald’s is liable for Mr.
Smith’s pain and suffering and that they should pay Mr. Smith (do not argue about
whether the sum of $1 million is appropriate).
• If you are the defense attorney, your claim is that McDonald’s has no liability in this
matter and the case should be dismissed.
You can take either side (at the top of the page, state: prosecution or defense) of the
argument. However, in your argument, some appropriate use of statistics must be present.
A graph or chart may be included if you wish (in addition to the one written page). When
talking to a jury, do not assume that they have much technical knowledge of statistics.
There is no one “right” answer. You will be graded on the arguments you use and how
clear your arguments are presented.
Discover more documents: Sign up today!
Unlock a world of knowledge! Explore tailored content for a richer learning experience. Here's what you'll get:
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help