Posted on 11/02/2005 7:54:36 PM PST by Clive
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - Hardware retailer Home Depot has found itself in a sticky situation, defending a lawsuit filed by a man who said the chain's Louisville, Colo., store ignored his cries for help after he fell victim to a prank - and was glued to a toilet seat.
Bob Dougherty, 57, of Nederland, Colo., said he became stuck to a bathroom toilet seat on which somebody had smeared glue on Oct. 30, 2003 and felt "tremendous panic" when he realized he was stuck.
"They left me there, going through all that stress," Dougherty told the (Boulder) Daily Camera newspaper.
"They just let me rot."
His lawsuit, filed Friday said Dougherty was recovering from heart bypass surgery at the time and thought he was having a heart attack. A store employee who heard him calling for help informed the head clerk via radio but the head clerk "believed it to be a hoax," the lawsuit said.
Home Depot spokeswoman Kathryn Gallagher said she could not comment on pending litigation.
The lawsuit said after about 15 minutes, store officials called for an ambulance. Paramedics unbolted the toilet seat and while wheeling a "frightened and humiliated" Dougherty out of the store, he passed out.
The lawsuit said the toilet seat separated from his skin, leaving abrasions.
"This is not Home Depot's fault," he said.
"But I am blaming them for letting me hang in there and just ignoring me."
I don't understand why the whole company should liable for how this one employee happened to respond. I don't see that his response was so unreasonable anyhow, even if he made an honest mistake.
Maybe the toilet seat guy and the employee planned it ahead of time, and will split the massive judgement looted from the company when it is over.
Great!
So now, instead of more help on the floor, HD will have to have someone patrol their restrooms every five minutes looking for people glued to the john... Just damn.
But HD has to provide a safe enviroment for its customers....it is the same as an employee spilling water on a floor and a customer gets hurt.
Actually I try to stay out of the restrooms at Home Depot anyway... in Atlanta they refer to the men's room at the 24 hour store as "The Homo Depot" and for good reason.
You say the place is a mess....would you sue if say you were hurt becuase of that mess?
"They just let me rot."
Ah. Very observant of Mayor Nagin and the "out-flow-ees" from NO, I see.
BTW - was Tony Stewart seen in close proximity?
LVM
Man... if you find your butt glued to the toilet seat, call 911... not Home Depot !!! It's like calling a restaurant when you get poisoned... LOL
Ewwwww. Even my children know to wipe the seat before sitting down in a public restroom. I think I'll tell them about this story, just to make the habit stick.
Superglued to then oxtered from the loo ping. He really shouldn't take this kind of c*@p.
Lol! Maybe they just need to have the employees be alert for the screams.
He'd better stick to that story once he gets in court.
Possible, but not likely. It is entirely possible he is responsible for the glue to set up HD. Even if he gets a settlement out of court, the attorney will get the lions share of that. HD probably did nothing criminal because it was not intentional. Only the outrageous successful suits get the headlines,99% of these just go away or are unsuccessful.
Reality.
You.
Try to get a hold of at least two out of three at the same time.
Life is much easier that way.
LVM
Or maybe placing Goo-Gone near each commode.
Look, I have previously worked in Loss Prevention for large box retailers.
Something here doesn't pass the smell test.
What was a recent "open heart surgery" patient doing in a HD anyway? Preparing to remodel his kitchen? Why didn't he look at the seat before taking.... a seat?
There is NO WAY a retailer can forsee every eventuality, nor can they spend the time/resources to patrol a restroom more than a few times per shift.
You're not worth my time.
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