Full question:
The gas water heater in my elderly mother's home had a defective part. I contacted the manufacturer and contacted the plumber that the manufacturer told me serviced their product in our city, in this case Sears. The plumber arrived early this AM and installed the new part. He did not do the job correctly and the water heater leaked natural gas into my mother's home all day until she smelled gas late this PM and contacted Atmos, the local gas company. They shut the gas off to the water heater. When I learned of this I immediately contacted the Sears service department but due the holiday weekend no supervisor was available to speak with me. I registered a lengthy and rather stern complaint, but received no real satisfaction. I am very upset. Having no hot water is an inconvenience but gas leaking into my mother's house could have been tragic.If I get no satisfaction from upper management at Sears is there basis for a civil suit for negiligence on the part of the plumber contracted by Sears and/or Sears itself?
- Category: Civil Actions
- Date:
- State: Georgia
Answer:
This is a serious situation that could have had dire consequences. You may have grounds for a civil action, but the key issue will be damages. In legal terms, damages refer to the actual harm or loss suffered. While there are emotional aspects to consider, it appears that no physical damages occurred. I recommend ensuring that upper management at Sears is fully informed about this incident to help prevent similar issues in the future.
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