Poor customer service...

[TiggeRia]

I just thought I'd share this story with you guys and get your perspective...

Yesterday my mom was at the grocery store doing her shopping and she was over by the meat counter. One of the workers had the door to the counter open (the kind that lifts up, not a sliding door) and was trying to put something onto a tray but was having trouble getting the tray to stay in place...basically she was trying to do something that required more than two hands...Anyway, my mom saw that she was having trouble and turned to help her hold the tray steady so she could put her stuff down, but when my mom turned she whacked her eye on the corner of the glass door that was open. She had just a small cut on her eyelid, but was having some blurry vision and eye pain. The people at the store were very nice to her and took her to the ER (she didn't want an ambulance) and then went to get my father from home and took him to the store so he could pick up the car. They were very nice and accommodating. So anyway, she was seen in the ER and they did a CT scan to make sure she didn't fracture her orbits or anything. Everything turned out to be negative and off they went on their merry way.

Today she received a phone call from the "insurance department" of the store wanting to know the details of the incident, so my mom, not really thinking, related to her what happened. The woman basically said (very rudely I might add) that she should not have helped an employee and because no one asked her to help and because she had known that the door was open that it was her own fault and that she will be receiving absolutely no money from the store. My mom was pretty taken aback and said that the whole thing was just an accident and she never asked anyone for any money and she only wanted to go to the hospital to make sure that her eye was going to be ok. The woman repeatedly told her that this is your fault, we will send you a gift card if you really want it (which she turned down), and other than that don't bother us and that they will call her back in 30 days.

The people at the store were just so nice about it and then to have that call today just made her kind of depressed. She knows that it was an accident and it was her own fault for turning into the door, but you would think they would have been a bit nicer about it. I guess I just needed to vent a little. I guess we're all spoiled by the customer service at Disney...too bad not everyone can have great customer service....

[daparish]

I am really glad your mom is ok but how rude of the insurance company. I think I would have really lost it and asked for her supervisor.

[Here we go again...]

That is just crazy. It was an accident... and it happened in the store. That insurance company knows that they are going to have to pay those bill whether your mom was trying to help someone she should not have bothered or not.

They are trying to make her think they wont pay in hopes of making her go away.
If your mom walked behind a counter and stuck her head through a window you might be able to say she should not have gone back there.
The window was lifted and your mom bumped into it.... end of story. Would it have been okay if she was reaching for a piece of meat instead of a tray?

Someone needs to get back on the phone with that insurance company and let them know that they will be receiving the bills. And the stress they are putting your mom through worrying about this might cause her to have to see another doctor. They will start paying pretty quickly.

[tinksmom02]

Ugh...how rude of the insurance company. I think the woman was implying that your mom wouldn't win a lawsuit, should she want to sue.

Your mom should contact a supervisor at the insurance company (human resources? customer service?) and file a complaint against that woman.

I'm glad your mom's OK. Sounds like something I would do...try to be a good samaritan and wind up in the ER ;) Seriously, I'm glad she didn't do permanent damage to herself.

[Tink&Goofy]

It almost sounds like the person at the insurance company was trying to intimidate her into not filing a claim. It was on the store property, and they know that they are liable. I would most definitely file a claim with them for the medical care. When push comes to shove, I would think they would roll over without comment rather than fight it. It really makes the store look bad when their insurance would argue such a claim.

[merlinmagic4]

Well, I think it's a positive thing that the store was so helpful and nice. That's the important thing since she will deal with them again and again for years. I think what the insurance company did would make me want to file a claim (and I don't believe in it at all.......but that's another thread). Sadly, so many people file frivolous lawsuits that they immediately go on the defensive instead of being decent. Their treatment of your mother was wrong and I would bring it to someone's attention. She can tell them she had absolutely no intention of filing any claims but after the call from the insurance company, she might be changing her mind!

[SBETigg]

It almost sounds like the person at the insurance company was trying to intimidate her into not filing a claim. It was on the store property, and they know that they are liable. I would most definitely file a claim with them for the medical care. When push comes to shove, I would think they would roll over without comment rather than fight it. It really makes the store look bad when their insurance would argue such a claim.

I agree! The employee accepted her help, which makes the store responsible as well as the fact that it happened at the store. I wouldn't be surprised if that employee gets fired, too, sadly enough. They really must be afraid of lawsuit potential to be so heavy handed on the phone. And what a shame, because your mother had been pleased with how they handled it before that. I hope it doesn't ruin her experience shopping there in the future and I hope she's feeling better.

[princessjojo]

Insurance companies are, in my opinion, the bullies of our society today. When our boys were hurt a couple Christmas' ago, it was on my father's farm. Again, like your mother, it was just an accident. But his homeowners and farm insurance refused payment beyond med. pay. They insinuated that we had to prove negligence on my fathers part and we wouldn't want to say he was negligent in caring for my children. In order for us to collect any liability payment, we would have to prove that. We would also have to sue my father to collect any settlement and who wants the stigma of having to sue any parent even though it was nothing more than a process rather than an accusation.

Good luck. It really is sad that in today's society, you have to be careful even when trying to be helpful to others. Good luck to her and I'm glad to hear that she's ok.

[Donald A]

First, I am glad your mom is OK.

Unfortunately, your mom's insurance company is probably going to want to know what happened and not pay for the er visit. They are going to want to go after the store for the insurance money. They take care of going after the store. Your mother just has to "cooperate."

It is out of line that the store "damage control" lady called. She was trying to get your mom to say something that could later be used against your mom if she tried to sue. I have learned after dealing with the lawsuits that the best thing to tell someone like this is that if she has anything to say it will need to be to your attorney. In fact, in 30 days I would refuse to talk to them. Unfortunately, this is the world we live in.

[brownie]

That's the kind of response that would make me pursue something. It's unethical and unprofessional, and that kind of behavior actually costs companies more in the long run, which means we all end up paying for it in the long run.