🚀 go-pugleaf

I believed that such signs meant that the owner of the premises was not
responsible if another customer caused damage to me while on their premises.

Damage to personal property by an employee performing his assigned job
almost always is the responsibility of the employer.

Signs disavowing responsibility are usually meaningless.  Usually, they
are intended to keep someone from initiating a claim for damages, or used
as a means for denying a claim.  Insurance usually has a deductible, so
the sign is one way of avoiding paying a claim less than their deductible
amount.  Paying the claim comes straight out of profits, so they don't 
want to pay any claim if they can bully their way out of it.

I suggest you have a frank discussion with the Manager.  Failing that, 
I suggest you start a small-claims court process.


Richard Nute

In article <1992Apr16.171158.14339@sequent.com> petebob@sequent.com (Pete Apple) writes:
>  While she sat there, one of the Costco employees that was
>gathering carts pushed his stack a little too enthusiastically and the
>lead cart rammed into the back of my new car, breaking the taillight.
>She caught up with him and he denied it, saying "it was the wind" and
>being extremely rude.  She pressed the issue and a manager took a
>report and said I'd hear from them.
>
>I received a letter from Costco headquarters that said:
>
>After reviewing the facts of this incident, we can see no negligence
>on the part of Costco, therefore, We must respectfully deny your claim
>and refer you to your auto insurance carrier."
>
>When I questioned this at the local Costco, they pointed to a sign that
>basically says "Costco is not responsible for any damage that occurs in
>the parking lot."

I'd file a claim against them in small claims court.  Make them try to
defend that in court.  A sign DOES NOT waive your rights unless you
agree, preferably in writing, to agree to it.  They ARE responsible
for damages while on their property, especially since their employee
caused it.

>So, I know where Costco places customer satisfaction now.  I guess if
>you want Warehouse prices, you have to deal with Warehouse friendliness.  :-|

Costco raises the idea of "user indifference" to an art.  They really
are worse than the phone company, and approach the cable companies in
their lack of care for customers.


-- 
Alan L. Peterman                                   (503)-684-1984 hm
                       al@qiclab.scn.rain.com
It's odd how as I get older, the days are longer, but the years are shorter!

We had a meeting with another car in a shooping center parking lot and the
other lady had no license. We called the police who took 40 minutes to arrive
and then said it was no big deal. The lady was German and had never applied for a license in the state. The police told us both to exchange names and go
home. They actually told her to drive home knowing she had no license.
Seems that since parking lots are private property the rules are different.