A Finished Crib And An Unusual Accident

[Jerry Bittner]

Been out of my shop for about three weeks now healing. Talk about strange injuries, while shopping at Lowe’s looking at some pool supplies in a rack, a Lowe’s employees operating a fork lift carrying a pallet of fence wire, came around the corner too fast and lost the pallet which skidded across the floor knocking me against the rack.

Long story short, after five hours in the emergency room, lacerations, multiple bruises but only one broken bone, the thumb, You don’t realize how much you use your thumb until you can’t. Must be the reverse of that old story about being all thumbs. In retrospect I was lucky that the pallet stopped about 12 inches short of the rack or I think it would have done serious injuries to these 68 year old legs. I think I will confine my shopping to Home Depot where they appear to practice more safety –they block off the aisles when loading and unloading.
<O:p
In any event, I was lucky to have finished off a crib for my two new grandchildren born just before the accident. A picture of the finished product is attached. For those interested in some details, it was from a Rockler plan and is convertible to a youth bed and a full-size bed. It is made of maple finished in satin polyurethane.

[Mark Cothren]

Beautiful crib, Jerry!

Man, sorry to hear about that accident! Glad you escaped more serious injuries, and hopefully Lowe's will learn a lesson from this mistake.

[Peter Mc Mahon]

Sue........

[Bruce Page]

Beautiful crib Jerry! http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/icons/icon14.gif http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/icons/icon14.gif
I hope you have talked to a lawyer, that type of accident is not acceptable! :mad:

[Chris Barton]

So sorry about your accident and the crib looks great! And, I second what Peter said. Get an attorney and work toward a very significant settlement for pain and suffering. Remember, while you may feel better now a hand injury like what you had may be a problem for the rest of your life. Besides, if you don't need the $$$ you can always put it away for the occupant of that crib...

[Rafael Carias]

Jerry


I am sorry to hear about your injuries but be adviced that in my oppinion HD isn't all that safer in reguards to to the forklifts. there was an incident at HD in which a young guy opperating a forklift nearly ran over my niece by hair. at the time she was about 5 years old.

[Jerry Olexa]

Nice work, Jerry and glad you're OK..Bad when its not safe to even go shopping...Take care

[Norman Hitt]

Nice job on the Crib, Jerry.

How's it feel to be "THE ONLY CREEKER" in a position to Negotiate "FREE SHOPPING" @ LOWES, for the rest of your life?:D

[Al Killian]

The crib looks great. Sorry to hear about your injury, I know how hard it is not have your thumb to use. I took the tip off my thumb with a meat slicer and was out off the loop for a month. But on the other hand tell them you want free shopping for life.:D

[lou sansone]

very nice crib..

Hmmmm I thought that this place was called Saw Mill Creek, a place where wood workers talked about wood working topics. But it seems that 50% of the comments seem to be more concerned about lawsuits than wood working. That is too bad IMO.

best wishes on a full recovery

Lou

[Corey Hallagan]

Wow, glad you weren't to seriously injured! I bet that was scarey seeing that come at you. Great job on the crib!!
Corey

[Matt Meiser]

Very nice crib.

Unfortunately it doesn't sound like the circumstances of your injury are that uncommon. A friend of ours was injured in a Lowes incident as well. At least they were very quick to pay her medical bills. Based on my experience, they do not appear to take safety as seriously as the numerous manufacturing facilities I have visited despite the fact that they are working in direct contact with the public.

[John Miliunas]

Beautiful job on the crib, Jerry! That one is sure to make it to "Family Heirloom" status! :) Hope you heal quickly and completely. Trust me, I know what it feels like to have no use of a thumb for an extended period of time! No fun! :) :cool:

[glenn bradley]

Jerry, beautiful work. I know that's one that will get handed down with pride. Heal quickly.

[Tim Clark]

Very nice crib. I hope to NEED to build one or two in a couple years (no rush there :) ). Right now our four legged grand-daughter is plenty.

Glad you're ok. Hope the healing is completed soon.

Yeah, that free shopping for life sounds pretty good. Can you make it forever and put me in your will? :D

[Jim Becker]

Geepers, Jerry! That really is an unusual (thankfully) accident. I hope you're feeling better. ('Seems to me you are owed a new shop for your suffering...)

Crib looks great.

[Tyler Howell]

How big is that new shop going to be:confused: .
Wow that is scary. Speedy recovery

[Dave Lehnert]

another big box had a big Lawsuit when a worker pushed off a skid on the top rack and killed a lady. The pallet was so heavy, According to news reports, that the lady was smashed.

[Sam Shank]

When I read the title I cringed. When I read that you were injured, I breathed a sigh of release.

I'm glad it wasn't your new grandkid injured in your new crib. That's where my thought immediately went.

Sorry to hear of your injury. Good luck in recovery.

[Jerry Strojny]

Great job on the crib. I'm sure it will be well loved for a very long time. Hope everything works out in your favor regarding the accident. That was uncalled for.

[Steve Clardy]

Great job on the crib!!!
Hope you heal soon!!

[Mark Hollingsworth]

very nice crib..

Hmmmm I thought that this place was called Saw Mill Creek, a place where wood workers talked about wood working topics. But it seems that 50% of the comments seem to be more concerned about lawsuits than wood working. That is too bad IMO.

best wishes on a full recovery

Lou

I have to agree with Lou on this one. It's a real shame when we automatically think a lawsuit is the answer to an accident. Even if it is from a careless employee. I guess that's 21st century America! What a shame!

[Brian Buckley]

In total agreement with Lou and Mark.

Brian

[Todd Hoyle]

Very nice crib. It must have taken a while to make. Great work.

[Jay Knoll]

Jerry

Glad that you're OK and recovering -- the crib is a great piece of work.

Not to dwell on the "suing thing" but it might be of interest to us if you could expand a bit on Lowe's reaction,

Did the apologize for the accident? Did they offer to pay your medical bills? (or the deductibles that you had to pay? Did they express any concern for you and follow up during your recovery?

Hopefully something was learned about safety at that store and other people won't experience the suffering you did.

Jay

[Chet Parks]

I was in HD on Monday and stoped just short of an isle and a kid, came around the corner of the isle with a fork lift that had boxes of Barbeques on it stacked two high, the fork was about 8' up in the air and the top box was rocking side to side. Talk about a accident waiting to happen and they had no one walking ahead of him clearing the people out of the way. If I had not stoppped, I would have been under the forks as he rounded the corner. I think he realized what he had done and stopped about half way out in the main isle and lowed the forks so fast, he almost lost the load.

A close call, but not as close as yours. I'm glad you only got an injury to your thumb. Didn't you say Lowes was going to give you a lifetime 50% discount on all tools to make up for the pain and suffering?

Chet Parks

[tod evans]

nice crib jerry