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Hi all:
Recently, my apartment community began kitchen renovations involving the installation of back splashes in the kitchens. A notice was posted on each apartment door informing us it was mandatory, the date, time needed for the project, requirement to clear the kitchen counters, and letting us know the work area would be cleaned/sanitized after the work was completed that day. We were told not to stay in the area while work was being done in order to socially distance due to covid.
The worker came and I saw him set up in the kitchen but he could also be heard going out to the hallway outside my apartment to retrieve materials. I also thought I heard a drill sound but I didn’t see his tools firsthand.
When he left he informed me that he cleaned the work area however. I spent time cleaning the counters and sink and stove and the fronts of the cupboards. I also examined the floor but because I had just washed it the night before I didn’t re-shampoo it. It looked perfectly clean to me.
Several days later when I returned home, I went into the kitchen barefoot and begin dinner preparation. For the most part I am barefoot when I’m home and in the eight years that I’ve been in this apartment I’ve never had an issue. Within a few minutes, I felt excruciating pain in my foot. I limped over to sit down in the dining room and examine it and from my seat I could see blood on the kitchen floor: I cleaned the wound and soaked it and glasslike materials floated into the wash basin. However, there was still something I could feel under the skin that I could not remove from my foot. The next morning I went to the closest emergency room and after having my foot x-rayed a piece of glass like material was removed. I was told it was a puncture wound and that I needed to follow up at a wound care facility over the next week and stay off of my foot.
I had not broken a glass in my kitchen recently and I use mostly paper or plastic materials in the kitchen so the chance it was from the kitchen Renovation is about 100%.
I’m scheduled to go to my wound care appointment tomorrow and I’d like the doctor to also check my other foot for possible small cuts. In the two weeks prior to my apartment being worked in, work was being done in other units in my building. During that time period, I experienced painful sensations in my feet while in my apartment that I attributed to possible worsening of a mild neuropathy I’ve had due to a B12 deficiency. I even went so far as to have my primary care dr run blood work to see why I had pain in my feet. Previously, my neuropathy was never painful and only caused pins and needles and a feeling of tightness. The blood test showed nothing that would cause problems so I’m wondering if I’ve been tracking glass shards into my apartment from the workers in my building prior to my own kitchen being done.
Since this happened, I called the apartment offices to inform the property manager of my injury and the problem with dangerous materials not being cleaned properly that potentially could be injuring other tenants as well as pets. Several calls later after I asked that the property manager call me and that it was very important and regarding the renovation project and he has not returned my call. The last time I called, I was told he was on site but was walking his dog. I again left my number but no return call.
Should I call the main company headquarters or let it go? My intention was to have him make sure that the workers are cleaning up correctly so no one else is injured. I’m not interested in recouping any medical fees or holding the apartment complex liable. He doesn’t know that I was injured but now I’m wondering g if he has received other calls and is trying to avoid further involvement, I’d hate to think that is true.
This is the first time I’ve called with any concern outside of routine maintenance, and even then it’s rare.
Not sure what to do, if anything, at this point.
I'm glad that you're not trying to get monetarily recompensed for any of your injuries. I can't even imagine that would be successful.
If you want to let them know to protect others - Bravo. I wish more people thought that way.
Stop wasting your time and energy with phone calls. Send a letter, or better yet an email. Cut what you've said above by at least 80%. Put it simply: I was injured by broken glass in my apt that was possibly left by the workers. I am not looking to be compensated for my medical expenses, but I wanted to make you aware so you can tell the workers that they need to clean up better.. I don't want others to have the same thing happen to them.
When you went to the ER, did you tell them that the injury was the result of an accident? If so, expect follow-up questions from your health insurance company. I have fallen a couple of times that were entirely my own fault at places like Costco (overheated while waiting in line during the pandemic) and Publix (tripped getting out of my car on a cart barrier).
Make it very clear that you are not asking for medical expenses and won't accept anything. If you do, you need to report it to your health insurance company. I had to tell mine (BCBS at least 3 or 4 times) that I was not suing Publix because they hadn't done anything. They kept following up with me--I guess to see if I had changed my mind.
Make it very clear that you are not asking for medical expenses and won't accept anything. If you do, you need to report it to your health insurance company. I had to tell mine (BCBS at least 3 or 4 times) that I was not suing Publix because they hadn't done anything. They kept following up with me--I guess to see if I had changed my mind.
You must be Medicare eligible. Otherwise they don't care.
Whether the business is liable or not. The standard operating procedure is to document the medical mishap. The complex manager is to file this with their insurer. Whether you wish to pursue this is not the concern. It's that each entity has it properly filed.
Beyond that the handyman can be addressed on proper cleanup.
Coincidence maybe at play here. Unless I'm one hundred percent certain the person created this circumstance ....I'd be more apt to question if it was a lose item that may have been exposed and not noticed by either person.
Take care and heal well. Wearing slippers or moccasin maybe a bit of protection.
SouthernSusana:
I did describe the incident at home where I cut my foot as an accident, but the after-visit report just recorded it as a puncture wound with foreign body in soft tissue removed. So far, no calls from insurance. Thanks for the info.
Nov 3: I did think it was standard procedure to document an accident on a site so I'm surprised the property manager is not attending to my call. Maybe he's been busy. From what I can see of my wound, it looks ok but the wound care doctor I see tomorrow will give his opinion. I have been wearing slippers since this incident and I'm no longer going to wear my "outdoor" shoes past the front door since I do believe I carried some shards in on the grooves of my sneakers.
Thanks for the well wishes.
I guess in a way it's good news it was a foreign body and not my neuropathy worsening so there is that! Gotta look on the bright side.
Thanks, JK---you're right. An email is better, and it does need a serious edit. It just felt good to write it out and process it as I was trying to figure out why my feet have been so painful. I'd send them an abbreviated version, as you suggested. Thanks again!
They are not replying not because they don't care but because they are preparing to face a lawsuit.
As a landlord, I have gotten sued for tenant slipping on water she spilled on the floor and suing me for it.
Last year, a severely obese tenant stood on a heating vent and made it snap. She did not go through the floor or anything, but it made her lose her balance and she fell on her butt. She sued me.
Of course, all of these lawsuits were thrown out after their lawyers dropped them as clients once the facts were out that those were frivolous lawsuits. That said, it still cost me thousands of dollars to defend myself against frivolous lawsuits. Like the one with the heating vent and the severely obese tenant, that cost me about $5K. The water one cost me about $3K.
My point is they are preparing for your lawsuit. I assure you, if you sue it will eventually get thrown out. The myth of getting millions of dollars for suing because you tripped over your own foot is that, just a myth.
it still cost me thousands of dollars to defend myself against frivolous lawsuits. Like the one with the heating vent and the severely obese tenant, that cost me about $5K. The water one cost me about $3K.
There is liability insurance for those kinds of lawsuits. Costs a lot less than what you paid to defend yourself.
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