Someone is going to be sued or maybe prosecuted

[Dark Psion]

http://www.wtsp.com/news/reporter/ar...ives-on-snacks
--------------------------------

90 year old man survives for days trapped in his car in his garage. But he wasn't injured there, he was grocery shopping when he fell and broke his arm and hip. The grocery store employees checked him out and "helped" him to his car, but did not call for paramedics. When he somehow drove home, he could not get out of his car.

The only reason he survived was that he had all those groceries to eat and was rescued when a neighbors dog drew his owners attention to the garage.

[Kheldarson]

Holy crap. Lucky grandpa.

[PepperElf]

Somehow, though, Ambrozia managed to drive himself the short distance to his home and he even backed into his garage.

This is what may protect them from lawsuits however. Cos ... he wasn't forced to go home or to drive for that matter.

[Dreamstalker]

True that they may not be held responsible if the reason for his fall wasn't anything to do with the store, but...he broke bones on the store property and yet the employees didn't call paramedics. What's their justification for not doing so?

[csquared]

Is it just me or does this story not sound right? I mean, they checked him out and bagged the groceries before helping him out to his car? Makes me think the guy refused help.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

True that they may not be held responsible if the reason for his fall wasn't anything to do with the store, but...he broke bones on the store property and yet the employees didn't call paramedics. What's their justification for not doing so?

He was apparently okay enough to make it out of the store and into his car, and drive home.

The store staff isn't medical professionals; how are they supposed to know he has broken bones?

I too am thinking they offered to call an ambulance but the guy refused. At least that's what they should have done.

One other thing: was an accident report done or at least offered? That would explain what happened at the time.

[Argabarga]

If they asked "are you okay" and he said "yeah" then, there's nothing they have to do. I'm not going to fratch all over this, but, it's not the job of retail employees to force medical care on someone who may have refused it.

If this happened in the PARKING LOT of the store, then I'd feel different.

[PepperElf]

Do stores normally fill out reports if a customer slips? Or are reports for major accidents?

I know, breaking a bone is normally major, but I can't help but wonder if even the man realized the extent of his injuries - I mean if he was willing to checkout, get into his car, and drive home.

I know the article makes it sound like they just shoved him out to hide the accident, but that may just be rewording for sensationalism. Cos in the article it doesn't sound like he was angry with them.

Plus... wait, in one article he was blowing his horn. In another one the battery died right after he got into the garage so he couldn't blow his horn. odd. Plus even in the original article the two men they interviewed had never seen the accident, and remembered things differently on what they saw (garage door up - garage door down).

As for the store's lack of response to the media... that in itself doesn't mean anything. Likely the lawyers have told them to not make statements (thinking about "Vinegar boy") that could end up costing the company. And I assume they'll be reviewing the footage to see what it reveals.

[csquared]

Update:

It looks like corporate was in touch with the man as soon as he was able to have a visitor, and that was the same day the story broke.

[PepperElf]

ah like i suspected - tape reviews.

although the comments on store responsibility are mixed, even with spouses disagreeing with each other. if a store should accept a customer saying "i'm fine" or if they should insist on getting a doctor anyway because "they don't know".

of course, on the flip side, if a customer says "i'm fine" is the store allowed to gainsay them? on one hand yes, only medical personnel can make a diagnosis, but on the other hand, they can't force a customer to wait for help either. so it could sometimes end up being "damned if you do, damned if you don't"

[Pixilated]

My understanding (although this is only for where I live) is that nobody can force medical help on a person, regardless of their condition, if they are conscious and coherent enough to refuse it and provided they have not been declared legally incompetent. (That would include paramedics; all they would be able to do would be to use persuasion for as long as they could stay at the location.)

[PepperElf]

My understanding (although this is only for where I live) is that nobody can force medical help on a person, regardless of their condition, if they are conscious and coherent enough to refuse it and provided they have not been declared legally incompetent. (That would include paramedics; all they would be able to do would be to use persuasion for as long as they could stay at the location.)

I remember seeing a case (might have been "COPS" or a message board, i forget what) where paramedics had a patient that was refusing help with a heart attack. They had to wait for the person to pass out before they could take any action.

[Kaylyn]

I read the article to my husband and his question is...if the guy could drive, why didn't he drive to the hospital? Did something happen right after he got into his garage and he couldn't drive out? I see in the update he laid on his horn until the car went dead, but why not drive somewhere for help before the car goes dead?

[Pixilated]

I remember seeing a case (might have been "COPS" or a message board, i forget what) where paramedics had a patient that was refusing help with a heart attack. They had to wait for the person to pass out before they could take any action.

Yeah, I think that's how it is here. Once the person passes out, they are deemed unable to make their own decisions (no kidding, eh?) and the paramedics can haul them away. Until then, nope.

[Kheldarson]

I remember seeing a case (might have been "COPS" or a message board, i forget what) where paramedics had a patient that was refusing help with a heart attack. They had to wait for the person to pass out before they could take any action.

When I was a lifeguard, part of our training was on consent and helping people. You literally had to ask "May I help you/provide assistance?" in some form if the person was conscious before administering help. And ask again after the passed out just to be sure.