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Home Depot fall

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mor4les

Junior Member
What is the name of your state?
Oregon
I am recovering from surgery on Aug. 30, 2018 where I had 4 discs removed from my neck, C4 thru C7, and four cages and a titanium plate put in there place. Today I went to Home Depot to return a sander and as I walked up to the customer service counter I tripped on a 4x4x16 foot post that someone had stupidly place where it couldn't be seen, and my sander went flying and I skinned both shins on the post as I hit the floor hard. I'm worried that I might have done damage to my neck...I have a follow up appointment with my surgeon on the 24th of this month, but want to know if there is something I should do now in case he finds something wrong on the 24th.
 


quincy

Senior Member
What is the name of your state?
Oregon
I am recovering from surgery on Aug. 30, 2018 where I had 4 discs removed from my neck, C4 thru C7, and four cages and a titanium plate put in there place. Today I went to Home Depot to return a sander and as I walked up to the customer service counter I tripped on a 4x4x16 foot post that someone had stupidly place where it couldn't be seen, and my sander went flying and I skinned both shins on the post as I hit the floor hard. I'm worried that I might have done damage to my neck...I have a follow up appointment with my surgeon on the 24th of this month, but want to know if there is something I should do now in case he finds something wrong on the 24th.
Do you know who placed the post where it was a trip hazard? Do you know how long it was there?

Did you report your trip and fall to Home Depot?

I hope your surgeon finds nothing wrong when you see him on the 24th.
 

FlyingRon

Senior Member
Eh? They hid a 16' post? I'd have to see that (or not as the case may be).

You can't bring any action on the "might have happened." As Q says, you need to see if there actually was an injury and then worry about if there was any negligence on H-D's part.
 

Just Blue

Senior Member
What is the name of your state?
Oregon
I am recovering from surgery on Aug. 30, 2018 where I had 4 discs removed from my neck, C4 thru C7, and four cages and a titanium plate put in there place. Today I went to Home Depot to return a sander and as I walked up to the customer service counter I tripped on a 4x4x16 foot post that someone had stupidly place where it couldn't be seen, and my sander went flying and I skinned both shins on the post as I hit the floor hard. I'm worried that I might have done damage to my neck...I have a follow up appointment with my surgeon on the 24th of this month, but want to know if there is something I should do now in case he finds something wrong on the 24th.
You had major surgery done a week ago and decided to shop at HD today? Really? May I ask why you decided it was so important to go there a week after surgery?
 

adjusterjack

Senior Member
I tripped on a 4x4x16 foot post that someone had stupidly place where it couldn't be seen
How do you not see a 4x4x16 foot post right in front of your foot?

I'd love to see a picture of that.

Did you think to take one with your smart phone?
 

quincy

Senior Member
The failure to see the post could be due to an immobilization of the neck after the neck surgery
 

not2cleverRed

Obvious Observer
What is the name of your state?
Oregon
I am recovering from surgery on Aug. 30, 2018 where I had 4 discs removed from my neck, C4 thru C7, and four cages and a titanium plate put in there place. Today I went to Home Depot to return a sander and as I walked up to the customer service counter I tripped on a 4x4x16 foot post that someone had stupidly place where it couldn't be seen, and my sander went flying and I skinned both shins on the post as I hit the floor hard. I'm worried that I might have done damage to my neck...I have a follow up appointment with my surgeon on the 24th of this month, but want to know if there is something I should do now in case he finds something wrong on the 24th.
I suggest contacting his office, explaining what happened, and getting an appointment ASAP. This is not something that you dilly dally about - if there is potentially something wrong, it needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.

As far as Home Depot's liability: it is at best limited. This was not part of a display. It is unknown whether the post was placed there by an employee or a customer, for example. Being at the customer service area, it sounds like it was a return, waiting to be restocked, but it also could have just been drooped there by a customer having second thoughts about purchasing it.

Practical advise: use a shopping cart. It will hit obstacles before you. A neighbor who has had similar surgery swears by this technique.

I agree. You would think the return of the sander could wait awhile.
There is usually only so many days after purchase that you may return an item. Perhaps this was a factor.
 

justalayman

Senior Member
I suggest contacting his office, explaining what happened, and getting an appointment ASAP. This is not something that you dilly dally about - if there is potentially something wrong, it needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.

As far as Home Depot's liability: it is at best limited. This was not part of a display. It is unknown whether the post was placed there by an employee or a customer, for example. Being at the customer service area, it sounds like it was a return, waiting to be restocked, but it also could have just been drooped there by a customer having second thoughts about purchasing it.

Practical advise: use a shopping cart. It will hit obstacles before you. A neighbor who has had similar surgery swears by this technique.



There is usually only so many days after purchase that you may return an item. Perhaps this was a factor.
I can’t think of a single sander Home Depot sells that would be worth risking injury to very recent surgery. I would rather throw the money away or just donate the sander to a friend.

If needed I have a friend or two that could return it for me.
 

PayrollHRGuy

Senior Member
Most new, unopened merchandise sold by The Home Depot can be returned within 90 days of purchase, unless noted in our Return Policy Exceptions. If your purchase was made with The Home Depot Consumer Credit Card, The Home Depot Commercial Revolving Charge, or The Home Depot Commercial Account, you have 365 days from date of purchase to receive a full refund, unless noted in our Return Policy Exceptions.
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
I can’t think of a single sander Home Depot sells that would be worth risking injury to very recent surgery. I would rather throw the money away or just donate the sander to a friend.

If needed I have a friend or two that could return it for me.
Home Depot rents sanders as well as a lot of other tools. It could be extremely costly not to return a rental tool on time. I did not assume that he was returning something he had purchased, I assumed he was returning a rental tool.

Also, the rental area in a Home Depot is right off the lumber area, therefore there is lots of lumber moving in and out all day long and its quite conceivable that post could have been dropped in such a way that a customer could trip on it. Particularly if it was waiting for an employee to load it.

I rent tools from Home Depot fairly often.
 

FlyingRon

Senior Member
Still, while plodding through the lumber section, you need to expect to find stock on the floor. It happens. Doesn't mean that HD is negligent (and we've yet to see if he has any actual injuries. You don't get to recover for what might happen.
 

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