This woman just doesn't know how the game is played. She got greedy, and now, hopefully, will be going to jail.
How stupid did she have to be to think she could actually go to a jury trial with this thing and emerge with anything other than a set of handcuffs? She's pulled this scam before, for crying out loud! If she wants to go after Wendy's publically, all that is going to come out. Wendy's can't just roll over and take it, if they are being pilloried in the press.
After this woman went public, I agree with you, Wendy's had nothing to lose. They were screwed, and the only way out was through. Now their only consolation is vindication (long after the fact) as this woman recieves both barrels from the legal system.
I hope the Prosecutor can find some novel things to charge her with, like extortion, and find a way to fine her for the lost revenues of the Wendy's chain. Those fines are no longer dischargable in bankruptcy, in many cases. She could owe money to Wendy's for the rest of her life.
Even though these were minimal face value policies - 10 or 15 thousand - and it could cost $20-25k to bring a case to jury trial, the company policy was NEVER to settle where arson or just garden variety insurance fraud was indicated. Their theory was that word got out in the Arsonist Community and scared the other scamsters away to buy their policies with other insurers.
The case we got (it was referred to us bec. of a conflict) involved a lady who had had a terrible run of bad luck -- 7 houses burned in 10 years -- plus her illegitimate half-sister and her common law husband were in Federal prison for running a burglary ring that stole household goods to put into houses to burn for the insurance money. Plus she lied on her policy application and said she hadn't had any fires in the last 3 years.
We got the Jury from Hell (at least for an arsonist) - the president of the local Holiday Inn corporation, an engineer, and a volunteer fireman (and those were just the ones that made it to the actual jury - you should have seen the folks the plaintiff had to strike.)
Four day trial - jury was out about 30 minutes - defense verdict. Judge told us it was the first defense verdict on an arson case in that county in about 10 years.
It was a ton of fun (it was my first jury trial) and from what we heard later it DID scare away the professional frauds.
The plaintiff came over to counsel table during a recess and asked me where I lived. I smiled and LIED.