Welcome back to the Roboto podcast where we break down case law, comedy, and chaos in the legal field.

Last week, we covered all of the true excruciating details from the McDonald's hot coffee case,

formerly known as the 1994 case of Lebeck v. McDonald's restaurants.

This week, we take on Bigby versus Pacific Phone and Telegraph from 1983.

In 1986, consumer groups brought several victims to testify before Congress in an attempt

to clear the record regarding their cases. One was Charles Bigby, whose case was repeatedly

distorted in public speeches by President Reagan, on national television by insurance

industry executives, and on editorial pages of papers like the Wall Street Journal.

Charles Bigby testified, quote, I believe it would be very helpful if I could talk briefly

about my case and show how it has been distorted, not only by the president, but by the media

as well. That is probably the best way to show

that people who are injured due to the fault of others should be justly compensated for the

damages they have to live with for the rest of their lives. These are the facts. Late on the night

of November 2nd, 1974, Charles Bigby left his job at the LA City Hall where the 33-year-old worked

as a night shift custodian from 4 p.m. to

midnight. Bigby was a native of Dayton, Ohio. At the time of the accident, Bigby had been in Los Angeles for about 10 years. When he first came to town, Bigby wound up living in Englewood on the advice of a cab driver. He got into his car and drove to his neighborhood convenience store, fortune liquor at 2208 Century Boulevard. At the time, Bigby lived at 3306 West 108th Street

about a mile away. He had lived no further than five miles from Fortune liquor in the prior

10 years. At Fortune, he bought a newspaper and a loaf of bread. Approximately 20 minutes

after midnight, 33-year-old Bigby having finished his shopping, left the store and stopped

at the telephone booth just outside to make a telephone call to his girlfriend, Sheila Croxton. This was Charles' custom. He hoped to be invited over. Sheila lived nearby. If Sheila was not awake or not amenable, Bigby would go home instead. I'm choosing to believe this is romantic. If they were just a hookup, then fine, but I'm choosing, I'm choosing to believe what I want to believe. Even at midnight, there

were several people in the store and in the parking lot. Outside Fortune, there were two telephone

booths. He chose the one not occupied. This booth was located near the wall of the store on the sidewalk

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