Close call in Dumpster

MetroWest Daily News ^ | Friday, June 17, 2005 | Norman Miller

[Boston Blackie]

FRAMINGHAM -- Wendy Cobb said she thought she was going to die when she was tossed from a Dumpster she was scouring for cans into the rear of a garbage truck.

"I came inches away from having no life," said Cobb, 38. "I was yelling, kicking, screaming, doing everything I could to get the driver's attention. I was screaming, 'Help me, help me.' There wasn't anything I could do. I'm very upset. I'm emotionally upset."

[Boston Blackie]

Now, Cobb said, she is angry with the company and will consult an attorney.

[2banana]

I came inches away from having no life," said Cobb, 38.

If you are dumpster diving for cans, you are pretty close to having no life to start with...

[Sax]

It's also unwise to crawl into coffins that are on the conveyor belt heading into the crematorium's furnace.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

The driver should sue her for infliction of emotional distress.

[IndyInVa]

Based on the information in the story, it sounds like the company ought to sue HER, for trespassing and causing emotional trauma to the workers.

[highimpact]

I'm emotionally upset.

Is there another kind of upset that I'm not aware of?

[GovernmentShrinker]

"I'm on disability because of my back, and I can't even do my physical therapy." Cobb said she is unemployed because of her bad back and lives with a boyfriend.

So her back's so bad she can't work, but she can climb into dumpsters? Yeah, right. She's going to regret the decision to take this to court, because by the time she loses her claim against Waste Management, there'll be plenty of evidence on the record to yank her "disability" checks too.

[LIConFem]

"I came inches away from having no life,..."

I have no life, and I've never gone dumpster-diving.

[OldEagle]

"Is there another kind of upset that I'm not aware of?"

Stomach?

[Fido969]

She'll sue for lost wages.

... Wait a minute......

[ruiner]

That phrase "I'm emotionally upset." sets up red flags like a mutha. Everytime people say that, its always a BS lawsuit.

[I still care]

I'm applying for disability because of my back and fibromayalgia.

I can't get milk out of fridge, let alone climb into a dumpster.

[Fierce Allegiance]

Is there another kind of upset that I'm not aware of?

Ever had an applecart?

[Kenton]

Legally, any recycleable products in the dumpster become Waste Management's property the moment they are placed in the dumpster. What she was doing was theft. If she opened the dumpster up in order climb in, she also committed burglary.

She also ignored the safety warnings on the dumpster by going inside. But somehow I got a feeling that she'll get some shyster that will claim that Waste Management "knew or should have known" that there was a danger that somebody might be dumpster-diving, and was negligent for not checking first before they emptied the dumpster into the truck.

[E Rocc]

Cobb said she usually does not climb into Dumpsters, but said the one on Winthrop Street was nearly empty, so she did not think a garbage truck would come. She is also upset about a cell phone she lost while she was in the truck.

Now, Cobb said, she is angry with the company and will consult an attorney.

"They (Waste Management) tried to get me to sign a waiver to say it was not their fault. I said no way," said Cobb. "I'm going to go talk to my lawyer."

O'Connor said the incident appears to be Cobb's fault. Alfano said the driver would not be cited because he is not at fault.

"It (the Dumpster) is private property. She was trespassing," said O'Connor. "It's kind of ironic, here she is digging for cans in a Dumpster, but yet she has a cell phone."

No further comment needed.

-Eric

[DocRock]

If she gets a huge settlement, I'll crawl in a dumpster and wait for the trash truck myself. Just Kidding

[Kenton]

"I came inches away from having no life," said Cobb, 38.

Oh, hon, I got news for you. You don't have a life to begin with.

[Fido969]

Yeah, I wonder how the "climbing into the dumpster" is going to go with the worker's comp people. Unless she can prove it had handicapped access.

[Fido969]

Note to driver: Next time - PUSH THE BUTTON.

[theDentist]

"I'm very upset. I'm emotionally upset."

She's about to be able to buy a dozen dumpsters of her own.