 
cork1958
Cork
join:2000-02-26
Fruitport, MI | Holy Smokes!! That has to be very rare? | |
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 | chesney09
Premium
join:2004-07-26
Redford, MI
clubs:
| Re: Holy Smokes!! It really not all that rare....
I worked for Americast - Now WOW a bunch of years ago...
It wasn't rare to see a tech hit electric (MAIN) when drilling the hole into the house or a 110 line in a wall. The result was "Typically" a cooked drill and the need for a blown circuit that would require an electrician to come out and repair. Hit that Main coming into the house and there were a couple house fires that resulted. If you think about it... It doesn't take much... | |
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
 ·Cox HSI
 ·AT&T Southwest
| I know of a similar case. A plumber installing a new hot water heater in a home had to drill a hole in the wall for some reason. (Not my home, a customers) and somehow drilled into something which sparked a fire inside the wall.
Similar kind of deal... the plumber drills the hole and finishes up the install and leaves... but sparks somehow started a smouldering fire in the wall which eventually blossomed. The homeowner said a shorttime after the plumber left they could smell burning but couldn't locate the problem, and then noticed smoke coming from their roof vents, and then BOOM fire in the roof spreading like crazy. Even with quick Fire Department response, the upper floor, garage and roof were badly fire damaged and the lower floor was heavy water and smoke damage.
In that case, it took *THREE YEARS* before the Plumbing
Contractor's insurance paid up and the house was repaired.
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"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!) | |
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techguyga
MCSE, DCSE
Premium
join:2003-12-31
Cumming, GA
| Re: Holy Smokes!! said by KrK  :I know of a similar case. A plumber installing a new hot water heater in a home had to drill a hole in the wall for some reason. (Not my home, a customers) and somehow drilled into something which sparked a fire inside the wall. Why whould you want to heat hot water? | |
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
·Cox HSI
·AT&T Southwest
| Re: Holy Smokes!! said by techguyga :Why whould you want to heat hot water? What do you call 'em? "That thar round thingy that makes muh water hot"? | |
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Combat Chuck
Too Many Cannibals
Premium
join:2001-11-29
Erie, PA
| said by techguyga :Why whould you want to heat hot water? so it doesn't become cold water?
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Nothing is more intolerant of a diversity of opinion, than a liberal society touting the virtues of tolerance and diversity. | |
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| | | | SoulBrewGone
join:2005-01-01
Emporia, KS | Re: Holy Smokes!! What he is saying is, it is called a water heater. Not a hot water heater. That is like saying cold air conditioner.
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Soul Storm Brew - It may not be good for the body, but it sure is good for the soul. | |
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| lesopp
join:2001-06-27
Land O Lakes, FL | So now the "on time" garauntee needs to be ammended to "on time & we won't burn down your house". | |
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AtomicZero
join:2004-11-24
West Palm Beach, FL | Re: Holy Smokes!! That dude is so fired!! | |
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| | | SoulBrewGone
join:2005-01-01
Emporia, KS | Re: Holy Smokes!! No pun intended right? | |
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| | jsouth
Jsouth
join:2000-12-12
Wichita, KS | Re: Holy Smokes!! If you hit a live wire and it sparks into insulation. It is very easy to have a fire. Now some of then new insulation has the fire retardant material, but an older house probably has the old stuff. | |
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| iNTOUCHmail
join:2005-01-05
Goodyear, AZ
| Just the other day - our company performed a relocation (we do the IT work for the servers etc) in Goodyear, AZ and the neighbors claimed their x-ray machine had some sort of ground short message. They thought it was the cabinet installers, which we never figured out. They may have drilled into some wiring, or maybe just a surge?? Evil sometimes lurks in between walls and I bet it is more common than people think it is. Just last week news of a christmas tree fire which gutted a home a family lived in over forty years! I'd imagine *anyone* including companies like c=o=x have sub-contracters that can face any type of situation. | |
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You Suck
| Re: Holy Smokes!! Gezzzzz... I hope this installer was at least kind enough to provide wennies; stick's to roast em' on, buns and all the condiments as well as the cold drinks....  | |
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blackjeep
join:2001-07-12
Atlanta, GA | Re: Holy Smokes!! Why not claim it on his homeowners insurance and let the insurance company go after Cox and the contractor with all of their lawyers??? That way it would be done to his satisfaction, and Cox would still be made to pay up. | |
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Cam
Premium
join:2003-01-25
Luther, OK
clubs: | Re: Holy Smokes!! To do that he has to start off by paying his deductible, which is probably a couple of thousand dollars. | |
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| | iNTOUCHmail
join:2005-01-05
Goodyear, AZ | hey, my cox is working now! This reminds me, especially satellite modems for some reason, Never leave these things on the carpet! I see so many people overlook the fact that simple heat, may cause combustion and cause FIRE! | |
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| tkelley7
join:2001-02-12
Palm Springs, CA | time to hire people with a brain, mavbe their should be a lisance required for installers, that is if they can read english... haha | |
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xdeadhead
220, 221, Whatever It Takes.
Premium
join:2000-11-08
Mechanicsburg, PA
1 edit | Re: Holy Smokes!! ot reply sorry how about a license to post in proper English? sorry ot but i couldn't let that go unanswered. | |
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| hkvalet
Specialist
join:2004-10-18
Las Vegas, NV | I heard from a Cox Tech that his co-worker broke a Plasma TV and he got to pay it right off from his pay check.
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RELAX, God is in Charge! | |
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icp1
Premium
join:2000-10-13
Saint Louis, MO
clubs: | Re: DirectTV You have to drill to run satellite cables as well  | |
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You Suck
| Re: DirectTV You mean.. you didn't just bust a window or a sliding door like I did??? 
No drilling involved!! | |
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cpayne5
join:2004-01-06
Amissville, VA | Still has to get in your house somehow. | |
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exseven
Premium,VIP
join:2003-05-23
Beamsville, ON | oh yeah, since satellite installers just use the cable that the cable company installed anyway. | |
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| kpatz
MY HEAD A SPLODE
Premium
join:2003-06-13
Manchester, NH | The same thing could happen when installing a satellite dish. A freak accident, unfortunately. | |
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Corvus
Flaming Tards Since 2003
Premium,VIP
join:2003-11-26
| This kind of thing happen in every field, while working for a DSL company, I remember a customer dysfunctional DSL modem triggering a fire: the modem melted and then start to burn but fortunately the customer was awake and smell the smoke coming from the computer room. We pay for damages caused by the smoke and lightly burned sofa which was near the modem.
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Jesus saves, but only Buddha makes incremental backups. | |
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click_310
Eat my shorts
join:2002-12-06
Savannah, GA | Re: DirectTV Which model? | |
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Corvus
Flaming Tards Since 2003
Premium,VIP
join:2003-11-26 | Re: DirectTV I'm not sure but I think it was one of the old Nortel DBIC compatible.
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Jesus saves, but only Buddha makes incremental backups. | |
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vpoko
Premium
join:2003-07-03
Jamaica Plain, MA | Is this newsworthy for BBR? This has nothing to do with the telecommunications industry other than mentioning the word "cable". This deserves a blurb in the local paper... | |
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See 7 replies to this post |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| Re: Hurry up. Get that install done quick and move on. said by tfrionli :Common sense and a properly trained/equipped tech would have had the tech... ...Use shaving cream to reduce friction. Somehow I don't think "proper training" would include the use of shaving cream in a non-shaving application.
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Hey Fast Eddie... you're next! | |
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click_310
Eat my shorts
join:2002-12-06
Savannah, GA
| Re: Hurry up. Get that install done quick and move said by tfrionli :Shaving cream is used to reduce friction KY ?
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sea93
join:2001-11-01
River Grove, IL
| My kids watched while a dish installer drilled thru the wall from the out side.....into the back of the TV sitting on the floor inside.
The TV started to bog down the drill and he started jerking the bit in and out, making the TV dance on the floor. Luckly it was a cheap TV and the hole was only in the plastic case in the rear. | |
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draven
Premium,Mod
join:2002-02-20
my bunker
Host:
General Questions
No, I Will Not Fix..
| Do the right thing, Cox... "It was a very unfortunate circumstance and a fluke accident," said Cox spokeswoman Leigh Woisard. "Obviously we do thousands of installations. The vast majority of them go without incident and we're very sorry that it happened." Stop trying to make the man release you from further costs with his meager settlement, pay and pay and pay until his family is living as it was before, and be happy he didn't sue you for millions. | |
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micl
Visit Lovely Downtown Port Starboard
Premium
join:2001-10-25
Silver Spring, MD | Re: Do the right thing, Cox...
Let me guess.... Cox hasn't paid yet because they are trying to figure out a way to pay off the settlement in free cable in lieu of $$.
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If I don't see you in the future, I'll see you in the pasture | |
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technick
Premium
join:2000-12-16
Loganville, GA
| Insurance? I wonder if this Cox Installer is a contractor / sub-contractor, or if he is an actual employee of Cox Communications. If he is a contractor, his insurance rates is going to go through the roof.
It's very true that accidents can happen, and every house is built differently. Its hard for the installers to know what is behind every wall since they were not there to see the walls built in the first place. I think it should be up to the builder to install a coax network inside houses these days. I have seen newer houses that have coax ran into every room, and connected to some equipment closet some where in the house with a dedicated line already ran outside.
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"Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising everytime we fall." - Confucius - - - - - - - - - - - Streamfire.net- - AIM - CoNFuCiUsNiCk | |
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See 6 replies to this post |
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blahblahblahblah
@209.29.x.x | Insurance adjusters Heh, I like the way the Cox spokesperson says the insurance adjuster calculated unexpected costs into the settlement figure. Funny, I wouldn't have thought you could calculate something you don't expect ahead of time... | |
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| eldermill
join:2001-07-26
Cambridge, OH
| Re: Insurance adjusters Peoples whole lives are in their homes. COX should not only be liable for the replacement value of this persons belongings they should also have to pay restitution for all of the irreplaceable items that they lost. Pictures, home movies, family heirlooms and things like that you can't put a monetary value on and COX should pay out the wazzo for those type of items. The settlement should also have some sort of agreement requiring COX to provide extensive training and require installers to provide proof of those credentials when doing any type of work on a customers home. I'm not positive but with the technology that is out nowadays isn't there some sort of tool that would tell you if there was a powerline in the wall you were drilling in? Accidents like this really shouldn't be happening in this day and age. | |
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marigolds
Gainfully employed, finally
Premium,MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO
| Re: Insurance adjusters said by eldermill :Pictures, home movies, family heirlooms and things like that you can't put a monetary value on and COX should pay out the wazzo for those type of items. The settlement should also have some sort of agreement requiring COX to provide extensive training and require installers to provide proof of those credentials when doing any type of work on a customers home. And you know what happens if they do have to "pay out the wazzo" for this? Their liability goes up; they have to pay more for future cases that are similar; and they recover the extra liability costs through our cable bills.
Cox is not paying for that guy's new condo + "unexpected costs" (who the heck needs $137,000 just to build a condo when the lot agreement is already in hand?), the customers of Cox in that area will be paying for that guy's new condo and unexpected costs.
Throw in the costs of extra training for employees are you really start upping the ante. If specially trained personnel can still have accidents like this:
»www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aberdee···tory.jsp
»www.visualdistortion.org/picture···sp?cat=3
(Blowtorch accident during asbestos removal. Lawsuit was settled out of court for less than 1/2 cost of restoration.)
then "Accidents like this" certainly can continue to happen in this day and age unless you want to standardize housing so that ever construction situation is identical.
--
ISCABBS - the oldest and largest BBS on the Internet
telnet://whip.isca.uiowa.edu
Member: American Association of Geographers, American Geophysical Union, American Water Resources Association | |
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| | SanJoseNerd
Premium
join:2002-07-24
San Jose, CA
| said by eldermill :I'm not positive but with the technology that is out nowadays isn't there some sort of tool that would tell you if there was a powerline in the wall you were drilling in? Yes! There are scanners you can buy at Home Depot for about $50 that will detect powerlines, pipes, and metal obstructions inside walls. They're not foolproof, but they can warn you when you need to be extra careful. In my house, I never drill into a wall without scanning it first. | |
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russotto
join:2000-10-05
Collegeville, PA
| Phenomenally dumb. This wasn't a freak accident. If he'd hit metal and it had caught immediately, that would be a freak accident. This guy hit the metal and then, instead of trying to see what was wrong, kept drilling and drilling. Probably wasn't sparks which started the fire but the heated metal piece he was drilling into. That's just really dumb. I've hit metal before and when you're drilling into wood and drywall, you KNOW when you hit something much harder.
Sounds like this guy needs to bring in his own lawyer. Cox is definitely trying to screw him so they can close their own books. | |
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| chesney09
Premium
join:2004-07-26
Redford, MI
clubs:
| Re: Phenomenally dumb. I think that is the worst assumption you can make. Unless you have done the job.. Don't assume.
From experience, When drilling into t house through mortar, a couple layers of base boards.. It can be very hard to tell what you are hitting.. Hit a small rcok in the mortar? Hit a piece of brick.. You have to get through it or start ANOTHER hole... Which then leaves the problem of multiple holes on the outside of someone house. Drilling for jacks in the house.. If it was a wall fish.. Drilling into a wall that has insulation can get a bit challenging as the insulation wraps around the bit... Since we don't know ALL the circumstances.. For you to assume this was no accident and he just kept on drilling.. Is pretty crappy. You can even just knick a wire enough to create a short that will smolder.. and you would never know it.
Yes, As an installer.. You have to be careful and the blame falls squarely on the company.. But don't insinuate he did it deliberately or out of negligence without knowing what you are talking about. | |
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Plasticman
Will Work For Bandwidth
Premium
join:2002-09-06
Harrisville, RI
clubs: | Forgot all about that I live in Rhode Island and I forgot all about that......
Plasticman | |
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dave
Premium,MVM
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio | Always use a firewall ! Gee, I thought everyone knew that a good firewall was pretty much mandatory where a broadband connection is involved. | |
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CPM
join:2001-08-24
Miami, FL | Re: Always use a firewall ! just get a router and a AV program and you are set. | |
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bistro777
Donuts-Is There Anything They Can't Do?
Premium,MVM
join:2002-02-07
Englewood, CO
| Re: Always use a firewall ! Maybe the installer heard "roto-router" instead of just "router?"
And the article doesn't mention how the cable signal is in the hotel...
"If it weren't for electricity we'd all be watching television by candlelight." - George Gobel | |
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SP_Writer
Premium
join:2002-03-19
Clifton Park, NY | It happens I did plumbing with one of my bros. He always double and triple checked before we drilled a hole in a wall/floor/etc.... And when we could not see we followed codes. One never knows, do one? | |
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iNTOUCHmail
join:2005-01-05
Goodyear, AZ
| Cox Cable Blues Being that there are 2 online 3D gamers in my house,(rrclan.net) i decided that i outgrew satellite internet and needed a change or upgrade. DSL and other services were not available to me, so I order Cox Cable 5 meg Internet.
The first day I received my 5meg service, it cranked! it measured 4900k or so. I own an ISP that serves only DSL but could not qualify the service (even for 256k!) through my phone line (area was promised back in 2000). BUT, the second day DSLREPORTS measured 29k up (on a 5 meg ordered plan which should provide about 800k up). What a terrible way to start! I will eat charges from about half a month cuz i was too busy to check if if was anything on my side until a few weeks after. The guy at cox at least told me since they need to run a whole new line from my home to the pad across 2 sidewalks and one street, that they were to credit me the service (that goes up and down all day) until they take 3 weeks. My reliable sprint broadband connection I am keeping because I find they offer a great service for a decent price other than the lag is bad(providing me static IPs, and a way to conduct business) until i can get our own iNTOUCHDSL.net service which can go 7 meg!@. My 5 meg Cox was measuring 3 meg down yesterday, and 2438k down and 738k up right now, so i guess when its working it does the job for now. | |
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spie34
Hmm
Premium
join:2004-01-06
Boise, ID
| Re: Cox Cable Blues you made no sense whatsoever. I didn't understand much other than you are a gamer.
back on the original subject of Cox.
I hope the guy doesn't sign anything releasing them of damages. He should have his own contract made up stating that after 1 year post rebuild he can't hold Cox liable for any damages since it seems to me the whole condo is going to need repair. But what is going to happen is Cox will probably take him to court and sue him and he will lose out which will suck. Time that corporations step up to the plate IMO | |
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| | iNTOUCHmail
join:2005-01-05
Goodyear, AZ
| Re: Cox Cable Blues Sorry I made no sense when I posted this. It certainly would be frustrating for you to post if you had the situation of your connection cutting in and out a few times before you finish posting. I didnt like the idea of a Cox truck showing up today to cover what their subcontractor did yesterday without notification prior to their arrival. In November, if I had not paid careful attention to what the subcontractor installer Cox sent and not stopped him from slicing my active Satellite Internet, I would have not liked it 1 bit! I don't know if I like Cox yet. We'll see in the next few weeks. | |
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ROCINANTE 2112
Original Member 007
join:1999-06-29
Hartsdale, NY
clubs:
| Standard Settlement It may be a public relations nightmare, but the Cox settlement is standard for any corporation. "Here is your money, but you can't sue us again for the same problem". They are just protecting themselves from future claims that may have nothing to do with the fire. | |
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rawgerz
In Debt we trust
Premium
join:2004-10-03
Grove City, PA
·Verizon Online DSL
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
| Re: Standard Settlement i dont know how dry wall would set on fire just from sparks its mostly dust now fiberglass insulation i could see going up
if it was me doing the work i wouldent be drilling full speed into someone elses wall...
my question to him would be would it have been so hard to try to pound a nail into the wall to find any obstructions first?
seriously you can punch through drywall you could hammer in a bar much less a drill bit | |
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| ASG9
join:2003-03-22
Big Easy
| COX and it's subcontractors have insurance for this type of accident/carelessness. The insurance carrier are the one's carrying the ball. Claims rep's and adjusters are usually interested in a one shot does all settlement. They want to close their file, come up with a settlement offer and ask for a release from further liability. COX probably has little say in this offer; it may not even involve COX directly if it was an independent installer.
This guy needs to hire a sharp attorney and call his local news help line for an on camera interview. | |
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birdfeedr
Premium,MVM
join:2001-08-11
Warwick, RI
 ·Verizon FIOS
| He's still negotiating. The appraiser made an offer, the guy doesn't want to settle for the first settlement, so he refuses to accept it. What's the big deal?
Any insurance settlement comes with a "sign here, and that's it" clause. He just doesn't want to sign it yet.
He lives in an old apartment complex that was turned into condos. The area was built up 20 years ago with some upscale houses, so the guy is living in a cheap condo on the edge of a real nice neighborhood.
It's Rhode Island. He's just playing the "lawsuit lottery game". Lately the jackpots have been on the rise if you can just hang in there long enough.
Never let the facts interfere with a good story, umm, settlement. | |
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dellboy
Yeah...I Dont Know
Premium
join:2003-02-15
Topeka, KS
| enough bashing The installer had no way to know that he would start a fire. It probably had nothing to do with being careless. tell me how you would know that you created a spark large enough to start a fire inside a wall. Walls are full of nails steel strips and other assorted materials that could cause a spark. yes this is unfortunate but realisticly this could happen to any installer in any house. this just happened to be his unlucky day | |
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big monkey
join:2002-02-19
Charlotte, NC
|  Re: enough bashing
There is always two ways to do any job, the right way and the easy way. At a minimum the guy needed to try to locate the studs and stay away from them to minimize the chance of hitting something. Now the homeowner should've vetted this process as well, but I don't know exactly what happened. | |
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redpanther
join:2001-01-07
Hot Springs National Park, AR | Cox Installer Causes Fire I did cable installs for 5 1/2 years and never heard of such a thing. | |
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| jchambers106
join:2004-12-10
Kansas City, MO |  dumb azz
 That what happens when u get dumb fu**s involved | |
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Cox Installer Causes Fire
DirectTV
