US jury awards $3.5m to woman who suffered burns from a Starbucks coffee machine
The full BBC text is here. This is probably one major difference that Philippine courts have with the American courts. Philippine courts do not award enough damages to make one rich. If this woman suffered the accident in a Starbucks branch in Manila, she would have gotten not more than PHP 50,000 (US$1,000++) even if she died. Philippine courts believe that damages are not meant to fully compensate a victim of tort but are just awarded for amusements and diversions.(Oh yeah? How's US$1,000 suppose to amuse you when you're dead? Come to think of it, even a million dollars would not be amusing) No wonder most commercial establishments in Manila are not very conscious about the safety of their customers.
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