Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  06/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On June 4th around 1030-1045 I was in this store looking for a paint brush with my husband as I and walking looking back n forth I fell down 2 steps in front of a employee. I couldn’t get up the employee just stood there I was crying and all I mess my ankle up I couldn’t walk my husband had to ask the man to help him pack me up. As we were walking to the front the employee went n told this lady and she ask me was I ok I told her no I fell down yall steps and I’m n pain. My husband ask the lady can she take the stuff out his hand so he can help me . We went to the front I was still crying a lady behind the register ask me was I ok I told her no I’m n pain. They never did a report no nothing I didn’t know they were supposed to I went to the hospital they told me that they want me to see a bone doctor I spring my ankle real bad and it might take months before it heal. We went to the hardware store 2 days later they repainted a sign that was not there like that when I fell. My husband ask for a report they told us to come back the next day it still wasn’t done. Came back 2 day later it still wasn’t done we ask for the video they told my brother and another person in the store the cameras don’t work there just there for show I called and put a complaint in I from ************ and I can’t do nothing in ** with my insurance I can’t walk I’m in pain they don’t want to write a claim Up No nothing they just keep giving me the run around

  Customer response

  06/27/2022

  I reach out before and the store never responded they had a adjuster reach out to me and he didn’t want nothing he didn’t say anything. I can’t get therapy or my ankle n wrist taken care of because of the situation the therapy place called the adjuster and so did I and he stated that the store nor hisself was going to take the clam I would have to pay out of pocket and then send all the bills to him they are not trying to help with he springing my ankle in the store at all the repainted the sign after I fell. They still giving problems don’t want to give up the Video now a i injury report in the store policy it states that if anything happens on there property they are suppose to do a report I’m starting to think because I am a young black women Muslim that they don’t have to do anything I’m starting g to believe that this store is races. I’m not understanding if I fell down 2 steps and In front of a employee who just looked at me on the floor crying nobody did anything and when my husband ask the man to help get me of the floor he then went n told some women who ask me was I ok I told her I was n pain she did nothing as we were walking out the door another staff say have a good day my husband said we will trying she said something smart about me falling then laugh!! I’m just trying to figure out why a adjuster reach out but they are not going to take care of my medical bills. They gave a claim number that don’t work. Something needs to happen and people need to know about ************ ********* insurance company and the hardware store that work for

  Business response

  06/27/2022

  ******** ********
  The Better Business Bureau
  ID #********
  
  I am responding to the June 13, 2022 letter addressed to Owner/Management, Harris Ace Hardware of **** ** ********** ***** *********** ** *****, ID #********.
  
  When I was first informed of the incident that occurred on Saturday, June 4, I instructed the store manager to have any of the employees who engaged with the complainant, or who witnessed the incident, to write out an incident report and to take pictures of the area where it happened. Based on the reports that I received, there were 2 employees, in particular, who interacted with the customer: 1 floor sales associate and 1 floor manager. 
  
  According to the employees’ reports, after the complainant tripped, the Floor Associate went over, asked if she was ok and then assisted the husband to pick her up. The Floor Associate did overhear the husband ask his wife if she didn’t see the steps? And, as you can see from the complainant’s report, multiple employees did ask if she was ok. The one employee reported that when asked if the customer was ok, the customer replied yes. At one point when a family member returned to the store, we did request that the customer type up her version of what happened, so we could submit it along with our incident reports to our insurance company. We were told that was not going to happen.
  
  After I received the reports and photos of the area, I submitted them to our insurance company to start the claim process. Our insurance company instructed us to not provide a copy of any of our incident reports to the complainant or any of her family members. Going forward, all communication would be between our insurance company and the complainant directly.
  
  No employee reported that they stated that the cameras were there just for show. The cameras in our ********** store have been down for a few months, and we have been working to install new ones. Therefore, there is no video footage available.
  
  On June 9, I received notification that the customer submitted a complaint to the Ace Care Center department (copy attached). I immediately responded to the email from the Ace Care Center, letting them know that we had already contacted our insurance company, who would handle it from here on out. A copy of this notification also went to our insurance company.
  
  When I received the letter from the BBB on June 16, I immediately forwarded it to our insurance company. I understand that the Senior Claim Examiner from our insurance company has been in touch with the complainant. She has all of his contact information and should continue to dialogue with him.
  
  The complainant states that when they went back to the store 2 days later that a sign had been repainted that was not like it was at the time of her fall. Included with this email are photos from the area where she fell and what the store manager has done since to make that area safer so this would not happen again to anyone else. As you can clearly see, nothing has been repainted. The paint is very worn, but very readable. There are 3 visible warnings about the step transition: The words “Watch Your Step” in red block letters, the wide yellow strip of paint to indicate caution, and the step down is painted in red. The Store Manager has since built a ramp over the step for a safer transition from one level to the next.
  
  Please let me know if you require any further information. 
   
  ***** *****
  Harris ACE Hardware
  Human Resources
  ************
  

  
  

  Customer response

  07/07/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

   Complaint: ********

  I am rejecting this response because:

  They are lying the one employee at the register laugh n my face n told me to try n have a good day after that fall. My family member came to the store several times and they would not give us a report. There was no signs and the man that reach out to me told me to pay for all my therapy out my own pocket and they will thanks about repaying it
  
  They even told the adjuster the cameras was there for show because we ask them for a copy of the camera
  
  As u can they repainted and there is no three signs because there were none If u take a close look you will see where it was suppose to be and then they wrote over it
  
  I’m at the main store now n just spoke with a floor manager and as I was telling her what happened she ask me was this ********* I told her yes she stated yeah that sounds like some they would say and do.
  
  And when 1 person ask me was I ok as I was coming to the front I was crying and told her no I’m in pain I guess I will b ok I never told her I was ok in crying in the store I was on the floor for 5 mins if there cameras work then look at the video. But like I said they told use the cameras don’t work they are there for show and there adjuster said the same thing when I spoke with him
  
  I reject this response because they are lying nobody from this company reached out to me there not signs all over the person I fell in front of just stood there in looked at me until my husband ask him to help him help me up. The employee laugh in my face after making a smart remark. And for the adjuster to state not to do a incident report doesn’t make any since to me
  
  I just went In the store where HR is at they disrespected me have me a piece of paper and told me to get out there store . He tries to make it seem as tho I was disrupting and all I ask for nicely was a injury report

  Regards,

  ******** *******

  Business response

  07/08/2022

  ********,
  
  I am the insurance agent for Harris Ace and I cannot say I have seen problems like this in the past. Harris Ace took the normal steps and the incident has been reported to the insurance carrier. That carrier has spoken with Ms. ******** and completely explained what they need from her. To date, she has not complied with those request. The incident is under investigation and all seems to be progressing as I would expect with any claim to determine if liability exist. If the lady does not comply with what the carrier needs, the investigation simply remains open until she takes the time to comply. At this time, liability has not been accepted by the insurance carrier and that will not be determined until the investigation is complete. If the claimant would simply reply, I expect we will have some form of closure, one way or the other. If she fails to comply, it will remain open. Harris Ace took the expected actions, they reported the incident to the insurance carrier on a timely basis, and it is now in the hands of that adjuster. There is no reason for Ms ******** to continue contacting Harris Ace. They have done what they should do. She simply needs to provide what the adjuster needs so they can complete the investigation to determine if Harris Ace is liable in this incident. All completely normal procedures. The adjuster spoke with Ms ******* over a week ago. She simply needs to work with him and she has his contact information. I can assure you, Harris Ace handled this just as any business would by reporting the incident to the carrier.. I have no idea why Ms ******* is not responding to the adjuster, all of this investigation is up to her to respond. And she is aware of that fact.
  

  
  

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩