Starting from a young age, most of us are raised to do the right thing. Whether that means paying it forward or making amends for a wrong you’ve committed, doing the right thing is rarely the same as doing the easy thing.
There are about 20 people who have had catastrophic vehicle issues after purchasing diesel fuel from the Kroger gas station in Lebanon back in late April 2018. Repair costs for vehicles and farm equipment have been devastating, sometimes totaling more than $10,000. The question is: Who’s on the hook for the property damage? The answer to questions like this are complicated—unless you’re Kroger.
The company could have done the easy thing here, but instead, it’s doing the right thing. When the 20 people affected by the diesel fuel initiated a claim, Kroger’s insurance company started telling them they could only cover approximately 70% of their respective losses, citing the age and mileage of the damaged vehicles. Sadly, this is not an uncommon strategy for insurance companies, and the number one reason you need a skilled attorney is to help you combat their dirty tricks. We’re talking about farmers who can’t carry out their hauling, dumping, and fertilizing duties because of a $50.00 gas bill.
Which leads us to Kroger’s shining moment: When the company found out about its insurance company’s tactics, it stepped in and assured the aggrieved parties that 100% of the repair bills would be covered, regardless of age and mileage. Check out this story for more about the tainted diesel fuel.
From the perspective of a personal injury attorney, it’s refreshing to see a company accepting responsibility instead of playing the blame game, all the more so because this happens so rarely. More importantly, though, Kroger’s gesture had the effect of settling the matter of liability. The company could have fought this, pointing fingers at its supplier, and that, of course, would have led the supplier to point right back and claim the contamination had been due to Kroger’s fuel lines. While businesses bicker over who’s responsible, guess who isn’t getting the money to fix their truck? By offering a full reimbursement to all affected, Kroger was able to shorten the nightmare, rather than extend it.
If you or someone you know have been on the receiving end of tainted diesel fuel from Kroger, you’ll want an experienced attorney on your side to make sure you’re fully compensated. You may have suffered more than just vehicle damage. The attorneys at the Marc Lopez Law Firm are here to help. Give us a call at 317-632-3642 for your free consultation.
