While crossing the road on his skateboard, Bart is struck by Mr. Burns's car and hospitalized. When Bart wakes up, the attorney Lionel Hutz suggests that the Simpsons sue Burns. Marge disagrees since according to Dr. Hibbert, the family's physician, Bart's injuries are minor. After Burns offers Homer a measly $100 - which he immediately rescinds when Homer mentions it won't even cover Bart's medical bills, accusing him of extortion, Homer visits Hutz's law office at Springfield Mall.

Hutz promises Homer a cash settlement of $1 million if Bart lies about the extent of his injuries, of which Hutz gets half of as his fee. Hutz takes Bart to go see Dr. Nick, a quack doctor who claims Bart has extensive injuries and wraps him in bandages. On the stand, Bart and Burns both tell exaggerated versions of the accident to impress the jury, who find Bart's story to be more believable, but Marge and Lisa are furious because they know it is Hutz's attempt to curry their favor.

An angry Burns offers Marge and Homer an out of court $500,000 settlement. Marge pleads with Homer to accept the money and drop the lawsuit. Homer refuses, knowing Burns will lose and have to pay the full $1 million. Angered, Marge admits that she and Lisa are concerned over his recent behavior and the "shifty lawyers" and "phony doctors" he hired. Overhearing Marge, Burns quickly returns and withdraws his offer.

At the trial, Marge is called to the stand and denounces Dr. Nick as a quack with no medical qualifications that Hutz hired to discredit Hibbert. When Burns's lawyer asks about the extent of Bart's injuries, she outlines Hibbert's original prognosis of how limited his injuries really are, and how Homer and Hutz made Bart lie in his testimony. Her honest testimony destroys Hutz's case, and the Simpsons get nothing.

That night, Homer goes to Moe's Tavern to drown his sorrows. Marge follows him and asks to forgive her for testifying truthfully. Homer looks into her eyes and realizes he loves her as much as ever.

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