Was in Big Lots shopping for a few odds and ends for the apartment and I went ot go throught the checkout, and WHAM!!!! An old shelf, those grocery store ones that are metal and painted cream, the ones that they can raise and lower the shelves with those little diamond shaped holes at the edges... I think they are made of steel?? Anyway, they had one positioned about 4-5 INCHES further into the aisle than they should have.... and I cracked my ankle on it so hard I nearly sunk to the floor. I thought I was going to faint the pain was so bad. The thing was, that they treated me like a steaming pile of CRAP!! The checkout girl was nice and asked me if I was ok, and I wasn't, and she sked if I wanted her to call the manager and I said "yes, please."
My ankle immediately started to blow up like a balloon. I finished paying while almost sobbing, and pushed my cart over to a display of lawn chairs and tables, and waited a HALF HOUR for a manager to appear.
A young girl about 20 said she was the manager. She had some papers in her hand, and she asked me my info and all that, and then gave me a sheet with an 800 number to call if I wanted to file a claim.
Now......... let me just say this. The shelf was jutting out, 3 inches from the floor, with nothing covering the sharp metal corner. It is the same color as the floor. All the other aisles had shelves that were flush with everything else in the aisle, so no danger. I kept telling her about the shelf and that she needed to do something about it NOW before someone else got hurt, and worse than I, and she did nothing. I said to her, "LiSTEN. You need to go LOOK at where I cracked my ankle, so that you can FIX the problem. Go LOOK at it!" (DUHHH!!!!!!) She did not even walk over to the aisle. My whole ankle was swelling and hurt like hell, and I was ready to scream. I then told a clerk "Someone needs to go to the aisle where you have hand towels, and wrap one around that corner, like right nOW before someone else gets hurt!!!" They were all ignoring me, like I was one of those "woops, fell down in walmart and sue for millions of dollars- kind of person." I am not that person. I DID have to go to the ER for an Xray. And they WILL be paying for that. But I have a mind to send someone over there tomorrow and see if it has been repaired and is safe yet. In my honest-to-God heart-of-hearts, I do NOT want an older person who might be frail, or on blood thinners or something, whacking their ankle on that sharp point and suffering serious damage like a break or severe bleeding or something. That no one would even bother to act like they wanted to look at it, made me sick.
Anyhoo...... at the E.R. I reported to them that I was to have NO narcotics. And i can't take many oral meds right now because I have a tendency for, and have recently had, ulcers. So I got an anti-inflammatory shot of Toridol, which has helped a lot. It would have sucked to have a broken bone, as I am moving into a 3rd floor apartment right now! My HP saved me a lot of stress by shielding me from worse injury.
Anyway, toodles...... OUCH. OH... yes, I did take pictures of the shelf and the aisle (and my ankle) just to be safe. The hospital is goign to try to bill THEM. Pictuires shortly.
But the doc did offer pain meds, and I said NO narcotics. That's all I need right now!!!
-- Edited by jonijoni1 on Friday 30th of April 2010 07:36:11 PM
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~Your Higher Power has not given you a longing to do that which you have no ability to do.
Wow!! I am so sorry for you Joni just looking at your ankle and the shelf picture made mine start to hurt in sympathy for you.
If it were me I would pray over whether or not to file a claim. Then follow your gut instinct after prayer and it will be right. You may feel it is right to go after them and you may feel its right to let it go. Either answer is correct if you follow your gut feelings.
I generally don't file claims until people ignore me or are rude. Just because we are sober and try to be nice people and model citizens does not mean we have to be a floor mat either. No where in the big book does it say we have to let people run all over us. Anger, well that's another issue, that we should avoid. We can hold others accountable without getting angry.
I hope you heal quickly.
(((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))
Larry, ------------------------------- If moral behavior were simply following rules, we could program a computer to be moral. ~Samuel P. Ginder
Thanks for that, Larry. I have no intentions of suing. But I absolutely will make sure they pay for the ER visit/Xrays. That "frivolous-suing" business is better left to those who can handle the conscience part of it. I can't do that. (There ARE people who absolutely should sue for various reasons, but I am not one of them, in this instance. If I had shattered something and couldn't walk for a long time or got a bad cut that left a horribly mutilated scar that would be a different story.)
At this point I just want to make sure they fix the problem at the store for public safety and get my medical bills paid. My insurance company (as greedy as they are) shouldn't have to pay either, in this instance.
Whatever. Just another goober-maneuver to add to a host of mishaps lately....lol I feel fine tonight.
Little sore, but that's to be expected.
Gratitude list:
I am sober as can be today.
My apartment rocks.
I am serene tonight.
I have a clear conscience.
I didn't have to take narcotics.
Another little something stupid happened this week and it wasn't my fault for once. (LOL)
I got to at least pay for my purchases -- (They had some AWESOMELY cute bargains!!)
And MOST IMPORTANTLY----- A healthy young woman got a booboo so hopefully an elder lady or man with frail bones and blood vessels will not have to be laid up for weeks or months because of this store's neglect! (Fingers crossed.) I'll gladly take the booboo if that is the reality behind this. <-----Angels Watchin' Over!!
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~Your Higher Power has not given you a longing to do that which you have no ability to do.
There is nothing like a grattitude list to improve one's outlook and you have a great list there Joni. Attitudes are contagious and your's is worth catching.
Larry, ------------ There is no chemical solution to a spiritual problem
Wow, glad that you're not more seriously hurt. That jagged piece of metal could've cut you open or severed a tendon. Ouch! I don't think that the hospital will have any problem collecting. The store would be foolish not to pay. I hope that you're icing that ankle.
Thanks, pals. Once the Toridol (NSAID injection) wore off it started to swell again. But ice helps. This is a pain in the butt (literally, where the needle went in lol) but I am ETERNALLY GRATEFUL that there was not MORE serious damage done.
I have a problem though, I am sooo tempted to go back there and hobble in, to see if they have addressed the problem! What should I do? I am really worried about someone else getting hurt worse than I! (nursey worries)
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~Your Higher Power has not given you a longing to do that which you have no ability to do.
Thanks, pals. Once the Toridol (NSAID injection) wore off it started to swell again. But ice helps. This is a pain in the butt (literally, where the needle went in lol) but I am ETERNALLY GRATEFUL that there was not MORE serious damage done.
I have a problem though, I am sooo tempted to go back there and hobble in, to see if they have addressed the problem! What should I do? I am really worried about someone else getting hurt worse than I! (nursey worries)
Joni if you want to "hobble in, to see if they have addressed the problem" go for it. Just remember that if you find it has not been fixed that Anger and Resentments are NOT GOOD for us alcoholics. However that does not mean you need to go home and do nothing. You mentioned a 20 year old manager. I would bet that she has a boss. You could ask for her boss. If she refuses you could even casually mention that you can find the phone numbers for the local Public Safety Commision or that organization that everyone in business is afraid of OSHA!!
((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))
Larry, --------------- Anger is but one letter away from danger
Just a question, did you call that 800 number, might have to, to tell them you will in fact be making a claim about the ER Bill, dont think they would pay without a claim first, that's my guess.....
So very happy for you that in spite of the pain and bruising you did not crack or break anything in that area, the ankle. as you know there are so many bones in that area.
Are you able to walk without limping??? hope so. Ace bandages hold frozen bags of peas in place, have done that more times than I want to count...:)
Hope with the icing it will go down fast....for taking on a three story walk up, right, no elevator?
Keep us Posted Noodles, PS, Toridol is the BEST Stuff in the world, I was once in an ER with a life threatening Gal Bladder that was about to burst, so when they prepared me for Surgery, that was my montra too, NO narcotics, and they gave that to me....it is amazing stuff, but it is only available in the Hospitals, because of the outrageous price of it.....tried to ask for some to take home and the Doc laughed out loud, and said, You, nor anyone else could ever afford it.....Non Narcotic Pain relief as well as an anti - inflamatory......
How is the packing coming along, slowly now, right??? Please let us know how you are progressing with you painful boo boo!
Huggies, Tonicakes
-- Edited by Just Toni on Saturday 1st of May 2010 04:41:15 PM
Hi guys! Larry, that is a good idea, and I will have a friend stop in there tomorrow to check on the issue. I did not venture in, just did not want to stress myself out that much. That store is resentment city to me right now!! LOL (only for the fact of how it was handled... or not handled).
Toni, I did call the 800 number I was given, which was printed on the claim form, and guess what??? I called it WELL BEFORE 5pm on Friday when it happened, and it kept saying "press 1 to submit a new claim"... so I pressed 1, got put on hold for a representative, and then listened to generic music for about 2 minutes, and it then HUNG UP on me entirely. I thought maybe I had done something wrong so I called back and the same thing happened!!!! I tried for about a half hour, and then even tried from a different phone. I pressed every button you could press, for whatever reason, trying to reach someone, I even pressed 0, and every single time it was on hold, then it hung up on me, no kidding!!!!
So I found their corporate website and naturally there was NO phone number anywhere on the website to call for anything, not even OTHER issues, so I used their email form to contact them. This was late last night. I stated that I was injured due to store negligence and received medical care as a result, and there was supposed to be an incident report called in by the manager, etc... gave them the store number and address and all that.... told them I needed to file a claim for the medical bills to be paid by them, and also told them about how their phone line kept hanging up on me, and what number I had dialed....Today I got a voicemail (wish I had gotten to the phone to take the call! Dammit!!!) Stating that I needed to call 1-800- something or other on Monday morning from 8-5 EST, and guess what? The girl (a live person leaving a voicemail message based on my email correspondence to them) stated the SAME number that kept cutting me off!! And Friday was NOT a national holiday, so they should have answered then!! Lets hope they answer Monday. Or I will have to find someone with a law degree to contact the corporate office FOR ME!!
Incidentally, my "ex" said he knew of a great law firm that I should try.... they are called "Dewey, Cheatham and Howe"........(get it??? LOLOL)
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~Your Higher Power has not given you a longing to do that which you have no ability to do.
I think that in part the rush to lawsuit is fed by such inept and dismissive attitudes by the people who should be most concerned about making everything all right. If indeed this 20-year old "manager" was thinking you were a frivolous lawsuit about to happen, she should have been falling all over herself to see that you were taken care of. I guess it just goes to show that even the lawsuits and threats of them won't change the basic apathy most people have.
I was once in a restaurant - one of those "bling" kind of places. As I started to get up from the table, I leaned forward as I commonly do and when I stood up, bashed my head on one of those heavy lead and stained glass chandeliers that had been hung too low over the table, and off-center. I emitted a stream of cuss words that brought some instant attention to me. They were all concerned if I was all right, even offered to call paramedics - yet none of them would acknowledge that the effing chandelier was out of place and too low. That's all I wanted - for them to admit that it shouldn't have been there. Maybe if they admitted that, they thought it would be ammo for a lawsuit. I didn't sue them of course, I just avoided that restaurant - or any others in the franchise - for the better part of a decade. And when I'm in similar places I make note of the chandelier over the table and if it's too low, I stand up on the chair, grab the chain, and raise it up myself. That usually gets attention too, but I don't apologize I just explain that the damn thing is too low and I don't want to hit my head on it.
Sorry, it's just a peeve of mine that so many businesses today treat customers as statistics, and when they have to deal with them in the flesh, merely an annoyance. I take solace in the fact that they will reap what they sow - nature always wins.
(LOL)
