Posted on 08/05/2014 7:11:08 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
JOPLIN, MO. -- A Joplin woman whose husband and two children were killed in the May 2011 tornado that destroyed much of the community is suing the big-box store where they died.
The Joplin Globe reports Home Depot’s lawyers contend the tornado packing 200 mph winds was an act of God and that the defendants were not liable for the deaths.
(Excerpt) Read more at kansascity.com ...
Grew up in Olathe, Kansas, so yes, you could say I’ve seen a good number of tornadoes during my childhood. Given the inordinate number of tight asses on FR, I guess I’m going to have to remember to end my sentences with sarcasm tags even when I think it’s obvious it shouldn’t be required.
It’s a sentiment I have heard sincerely expressed by many people from the East Coast.
“Why does anyone leave their house during a tornado?”
As if you can switch on the news and see “And remember at 7:30pm tomorrow night, a tornado will be hitting forty miles west of St. Louis.”
Hear hear. You put it very well.
My problem with this lady is that she seems to think there was something Home Depot could have done about the safety standards. Maybe there is and maybe there isn’t, but a tornado is still an act of God. If HD was taking all of the usual and customary precautions, then I hope this goes nowhere.
Understood.
I too am sorry for her loss but design and construction codes are not based upon catastrophic events. If that was the case very few would have the money to actually build something that could withstand all known type of natural disasters.
“I can’t see how Home depot was responsible.”
They have money
I have no doubt that the building was designed to the wind loads that were required in that community. In fact, national firms often overdesign their buildings for some places since they like to design for the worst conditions nationwide. There is no place that I know of that requires design for 200mph wind loads. Most places are a little more than half that.
The walls of the structure were probably fine although under tremendous stress and strain but once the roof peeled off the wind outside works like suction and creates a vacuum. Negative pressure inside plus positive pressure outside and the walls will collapse
I saw a 100 foot tall steel water stand pipe under construction a few years back that a city was building for storage. We had a tremendous wind storm one night (80+ mph as want here in eastern Washington) and the next morning the steel pipe was collapsed inward like a straw. All it would have taken to prevent that was to open a few of the hatches at the ground level to equalize the pressure
Three words about her decision to sue: Ambulance chasing attorneys.
I am going to tell Jesse Ventura-
He will take care of the lawsuits
LOL
It don’t matter where you are, if an F5 makes a direct hit, you’re toast.
Unless you are 2 feet UNDER the ground. Even basements are not safe in those monsters. They literally sucked families out of basements in the Jerrell (sp), TX F5.
“...an act of God...”
So now death and destruction is God’s work.
At least the lawyers express a belief in the concept of a god.
And, of course, it is much easier to sue Home depot than it is to sue God.
no idea, but if this lawsuit gets any traction, that'll be what happens in the future.
There You go!
:-)
No doubt. Why take the risk.
Pretty much everyone who lives in Tornado Alley has done so. During storm season, tornado watches are a regular thing. Conditions are favorable during watches but not imminent. We typically get 15 minutes’ advance notice of tornado warnings. It’s sorta-kinda like hail conditions.
You don’t live in tornado country do you?
If you did you would know they can strike within minutes.
According to NOAA the average warning time is 13 minutes.
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