http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/ Engadget Comments for Woman files $54m lawsuit against Best Buy for losing laptop http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 12th 2008 1:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 12th 2008 2:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 12th 2008 2:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 12th 2008 2:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
Like most, I thought that this was another story of a greedy consumer looking to get rich because "coffee is hot"...but hunt down the real story and read about what this woman went through and how Best Buy treated her and I expect that you will soon be cheering her on.

$0.02]]>Feb 12th 2008 2:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
- The power button was broken so the thing would not turn on

- She wasn't primarily concerned about "lost data"...she was concerned about IDENTITY THEFT...given that the laptop hard disk contained significant volumes of personal data...including tax returns.

- Best Buy is required by federal law to inform a consumer if they leak their personal data...and Best Buy knew for weeks/months that her laptop had been stolen by someone in the store...yet they did not inform her (as required)...and actually lied to her and told her that the laptop was at their Kentucky service center and that the replacement switch had just been ordered.]]>Feb 12th 2008 2:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 12th 2008 2:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
also the amount she is asking for seems high but imagine the amount of time and money she can potentially loose if her identity is stolen from the laptop.

Its ridiculous that BestBuy and others have such lax rules when it comes to repairing computers, hopefully this forces them to take better care of the PCs people bring in.]]>Feb 12th 2008 3:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
Is your identity worth $54mm? I know mine sure isn't. Steal my identity, maybe you can get $20 or $30K worth. I highly doubt her identity is worth $54mm either.

Just because I almost got hit by a car on the street today doesn't mean I get to sue the driver of said car for the amount I would have been damaged had I actually been hit.

Yea, this sucks and Best Buy has very questionable if not downright illegal business practices, but $54mm is absurd.

Plus, it is unethical to file a lawsuit for a certain amount just to get publicity to shame a corporation.]]>Feb 12th 2008 3:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 12th 2008 3:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
The thing is that the court decided that the pants were not worth $54mm and repremaneded the plaintiff in that case.

Also, I'm not the chair of the ethics committe, but I do know that you have to have a good faith basis for your prayer for damages in court. There are also presumptive limits on non-economic damages. Believe it or not there are ethics rules that governm lawyers (I presume she hired a lawyer for this)...there's even a national exam for it! The ethics I mentioned are these ethics rules.]]>Feb 12th 2008 3:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 12th 2008 4:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
Too many lawsuits are get rich quick schemes, and no doubt she'd love to collect 54mm. Whether her credit was harmed, and what the harm was worth, will be a factor in the damages actually awarded by the court. With her bringing the lawsuit, what mattered was the frustration, anger, feeling of helplessness, and violation. This did get her situation publicity.

No question 54mm is way too big, but she'll never get that amount so it's not to worry. Assuming she gets 1/10th of that: life in prison for an accounting fraud was a bit harsh - it was money, not life lost - but you can be sure financial restatings have increased over the years. This, similarly, would be for punitive effect.]]>Feb 12th 2008 4:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
Question for you, what takes less time, arguing on ablog about legal ethics rules that only apply to attorneys, or RTFA? To wit:

"She also had reached the limit of her patience. In November, she filed her $54 million lawsuit against Best Buy -- by herself, without legal representation." (emphasis added)

I'm going with the latter, but maybe you're really quick at talking @#$% on the Internet.

Don't get me started on how one could have a good faith belief that the loss of a laptop resulted in $54 million in damages.]]>Feb 12th 2008 5:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
Even with a broken power button a data backup is possible before shipping the laptop out for service. Most shops would simply pull the hard drive and back up the information to thier in-house data machine. If the customer was concerned about identity theft, the hard drive could have then been wiped before being reseated back into the unit.

Obviously I don't know if Best Buy offered the above (at an extra cost of course), but they should have seeing as they how much they push for the upsell. Much as I hate Best Buy, just wanted to point out that they may not be quite the bastards as the woman is making them out to be.]]>Feb 12th 2008 5:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 12th 2008 6:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
The article does also discuss that there was a possibility of identify theft however I doubt this information is worth $54 million. If one person's information was worth this much I think you would see a rise in identify theft (higher than it already is). It's very unfortunate that this happened to this women but $54 million dollars is absurd. I'd gladly have my laptop misplaced for $54 million dollars.]]>Feb 12th 2008 6:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/But please us go on it won't take to much time to live under the chinese hahahahahah]]>Feb 19th 2008 12:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 12th 2008 9:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
I do agree about how simple it is to back up data on a drive. However, going in for something as simple as replacing an on/off switch is never anything that should throw up a red flag and make you think you need to have them back up all the data on your machine. Maybe it would be a nice policy for Best Buy to take on for any machine that is being sent off for repairs. Even then, in this case (from what I read) it appears the machine was stolen in store; policy change wouldn't make a difference. Again, understand where you are coming from, but it's not something the customer would think about.]]>Feb 12th 2008 10:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
Actually it's priceless, because in the end your personal identity is all you have, everything you own, have owned, will own in the future, is tied to this.

Whoever has this personal information can collect money through fraud, and leave you to sort out the details with the authorities for the rest of your life. There have been enough identity theft stories, and the processes involved in re-claiming your identity, sometimes repeatedly, that would go beyond the $54 million.

Maybe this person is not a millionaire today, but she could be tomorrow, and her identity is right there for the taking, along with her belongings.

Sorry to burst bubbles, but I believe everyone's identity to be priceless.]]>Feb 12th 2008 11:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
You should always have an updated copy of your important data, so no compensation is deserved there. Maybe just the time required to restore it since the loss was due to faulty hardware.]]>Feb 13th 2008 12:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
sure the lady has a case, but its like every person who is frustrated, they want their case to be seen, the want to create a scene, as well she has a right she did loose her lap top, and frankly it shouldnt have happened, you do it, i do it at some time or place, but remember, people are human and do make mistakes, and when you people insist on laying into some kid, hes not going to appriciate that, and will probably quit his job, because outside of their place of employment, they are human. All of the "I hate best buy" people, why? because you came in on a saturday looking for the sale item(thats more than likley where your hate came from). of course its not going to be in moron, and sure, if we order it we need to fill out paperwork, a sale item like that is extremly popular so we need to have it shipped in when its made. if not feel free to comment back.]]>Feb 13th 2008 9:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 14th 2008 5:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 14th 2008 6:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
As for the woman's data, customers are told upfront and before they sign the work order agreement that it is the responsibility of the customer, NOT Best Buy, to back-up all important data, which makes sense. Once she signed that paperwork, and Best Buy will not take possession of any customer's property until it is signed, she lost all legal rights to any compensation for that data.

At any of the stores I personally worked at, we would have given her a new laptop, apologized profusely, and would have started a serious investigation as where in the hell the woman's property was at, and who in the hell was going to compensate us for our in-store loss.]]>Feb 14th 2008 7:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 14th 2008 10:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 15th 2008 12:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 15th 2008 10:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 15th 2008 11:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 15th 2008 7:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
More power to her. I love America!]]>Feb 12th 2008 1:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
Trust me I know. I deal with Lawyers and accountants all day. She'll walk with an out-of court settlement for an undisclosed amount. But should give out all that is received, minus cost of fees and laptop (non of this pain and suffering crap) :)]]>Feb 12th 2008 2:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 12th 2008 1:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
Maybe I'm just trying to make myself feel better 'cause I just bought a lappy from them a couple of weeks ago... it was the best price I could find. All that said there is no way I'd buy a warranty or trust those dorks to fix anything.]]>Feb 12th 2008 3:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 12th 2008 5:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 14th 2008 3:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 14th 2008 6:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
Seems to be working!]]>Feb 12th 2008 1:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Negligence that cost a Life; not a laptop...]]>Feb 15th 2008 2:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 15th 2008 7:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
Wonder what she had on her lappy...]]>Feb 12th 2008 1:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
http://www.nbr.org/about_nbr/staff/campbell.html
]]>Feb 12th 2008 1:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 12th 2008 2:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 12th 2008 2:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/hopefully, someone of her stature wouldn't have confidential, classified, or business-related documents on her home computer. if it was a work computer, she'd undoubtedly give it to corporate IT.]]>Feb 12th 2008 3:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
But $54M is a high ball figure. Even if they settled out of court for $1M, she paid half for lawyers, and another $200k for taxes, she'd still walk out with $300k.]]>Feb 12th 2008 3:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
According to the article, they originally offered her $900 (to replace her $1,100 laptop), after taking 3 months to even admit they'd lost it. When she asked for $2100 to actually be able to get a replacement and to cover time-and-trouble, Best Buy blew her off.

She was a pretty average user, and so not as immediately aware of the potential for identity theft. When she was advised about the identity theft angle since her tax returns were on the computer, she enrolled in a credit protection program and went back to Best Buy to ask why she hadn't been informed that they'd lost her personal data (as they are required by law to do), they stonewalled her again.

This is why she finally sued them for $54m; she said she has no expectation of getting even a fraction of that, but picked a deliberately insanely high number just so that Best Buy would pay attention, and so that media outlets would pick this story up to highlight Best Buy's poor customer service.

So far, it seems to have succeeded; clearly the case IS getting media coverage, and Best Buy offered her $2500 to replace the laptop (if she'd drop the case and sign a confidentiality agreement never to speak of this again, which she refused to do).]]>Feb 13th 2008 3:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/Feb 12th 2008 1:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/12/woman-files-54m-lawsuit-against-best-buy-for-losing-laptop/
Hey buddy, ever think of reading the ARTICLE before posting an ass of a comment? How "exactly" was she supposed to offload her data with a BROKEN POWER SWITCH....

la dee da]]>Feb 12th 2008 2:00PM