Back in August I blogged about how I fell into a pothole at one of the outlet malls in the big city. I tried calling back a few times, because my glasses were really scratched badly and I got the feeling they were just trying to wait me out. You know, if they never returned my calls, maybe I wouldn’t be tenacious enough to keep calling. They were right. I gave up after about four calls. I’d already told them straight out I wasn’t going to sue them, but I did ask if they would at least help me with some of the cost of replacing my glasses, so I figured they weren’t worried about me in the least.
To my amazement, I got a phone call in late January from a lady asking me how I was doing after my fall at the mall. It turns out she is the “risk management” that I was told about during my one phone conversation with security at the mall. I told her I was really frustrated that no one had called me, and she was very apologetic. She asked me if I was okay, and I told her my bruises had healed, the soft tissue damage to my knee had healed. I told her that I had not yet been able to replace my glasses, and they were pretty scratched up. I volunteered that I had taken pictures, and she asked if they were on my cell phone or a regular camera. I told her I’d had my digital camera with me and she asked if I would send the photos. Also, she asked if I would get an estimate on the cost of replacing my lenses.
I emailed the photos right away, and it took me a couple of days to get the estimate from Costco. I wear progressives – they are trifocals that blend so you can’t see the lines. The guy confirmed that the price is about the same now as it was two years ago, and the cost would be $215. So I scanned that and sent it to her. In the email I asked that they consider replacing the frames and lenses, since both were scratched up pretty badly.
I asked her to please email me back when she got the photos and the estimate, but I never heard back from her. I thought she was brushing me off, like the others before her. I called her and got her voice mail, so I left a message and still never heard back from her. Last night I was digging through a stack of mail trying to find the other bill from Mr. A’s medical procedure at the hospital, as a new “this is your portion, please pay within ten days” bill arrived in the mail. While digging through the pile, I found an already opened envelope, from the risk management lady! In it I found that she had sent a release form to have notarized and asking me to release them from all responsibility for the total sum of $215.00.
It was mailed February 6th! My boss is a notary, so I will be having her sign it for me on Tuesday and get it in the mail. I know some might say that I shouldn’t sign the release, but I am perfectly okay and all I really wanted was to have my glasses replaced.
Yours Truly,
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If more people were honest like you, I think companies would be in a hurry to help their customers when something like this happens, instead of being afraid to say “I’m sorry” as that might incur liability. Cheers to you, glad you’re healed up, and I hope you enjoy your snazzy new frames.
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Mrs. Accountability Reply:
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Thanks Mrs. MT! It is going to be so great getting new glasses and being able to see out of the lenses! It’s like being visually impaired, all these scratches to try to see through! Thanks for visiting and commenting! Whoo hooo, I am so loving my new WordPress blog!
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They’re probably still waiting you out. When I worked retail as a teenager, we had people who “tripped” on things like that every week.
Maybe some of them really did, but you start to think they’re extortionists. Besides, your glasses are pre-tax in your health account.
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Mrs. Accountability Reply:
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:47 pm
@DogAteMyFinances – We’ll see soon enough. Last Friday the claims person emailed and asked if I’d received the paperwork and then later in the morning she said it had come in the day’s mail. She said to expect a check within four business days, so I should know by Wednesday or Thursday. I hope they aren’t just pulling my chain. I don’t have a health account – not really sure how those work. Thanks and I’ll make an update post when I know more.
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