Public Safety Complaint: Injury Caused by Negligence at Marshalls Marine Drive, Vancouver…read more
I am writing to report a serious safety incident that occurred at the Marshalls store on Marine Drive in Vancouver on Monday, August 4, 2025, at approximately 2:30 PM. While trying on a pair of jeans in the fitting room, I suffered a painful and entirely preventable injury due to the store's negligence.
As I pulled up the jeans, I was suddenly scratched by a long, sharp, exposed needle protruding from a security tag that lacked a protective end cap. The result was a 15-centimeter-long bleeding cut on my left thigh (I have photos)--a painful and alarming injury that could have easily been avoided with proper safety protocols.
Upon realizing the injury, I immediately returned the faulty security tag to Commie, the store associate at the fitting room desk, and showed her the bleeding wound. Commie responded with empathy and promptly escalated the issue to the store manager, Aonchal.
Unfortunately, the store's handling of the situation from that point onward was highly unprofessional and deeply disappointing.
Despite my request, store Manager Aonchal declined to view the injury and offered only a few adhesive bandages, which were insufficient to cover the full extent of the 15-centimeter bleeding wound on my left thigh, as documented in the attached photos. I was left to treat the injury myself at home, using my own medical supplies to adequately dress the laceration. Manager Aonchal further stated that there was "nothing they could do," and advised me to contact the company's 1-800 customer service line at a later time. No formal incident report was filed, and at no point was there any demonstration of genuine concern for my safety or well-being. As a result, I felt dismissed, unsupported, and treated in a manner lacking basic compassion and professionalism.
In response to my continued concern and request for a professional resolution, another manager, Omer, arrived and offered a $25 gift card. I declined this offer, as I found it to be an inadequate and dismissive response to a serious physical injury. A bleeding wound of this nature--caused by a store's carelessness--is not worth $25. My intention in raising this issue was not for compensation alone, but to highlight a dangerous lapse in customer safety standards that could affect others, including children.
This was not merely an unfortunate incident--it was a public safety hazard. The failure to properly secure a sharp object on a garment is a clear case of negligence, and it exposes all customers to potential harm.
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I formally urge Marshalls and its parent company, TJX Canada, to:
Immediately review and correct in-store procedures for tagging and securing merchandise.
Ensure all security tags are safely capped or removed before trying-on.
Implement proper training for staff in responding to customer injuries, including incident documentation and basic first aid response.
Acknowledge this incident and take public responsibility for the harm caused.
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I am now left with a painful wound, a visible scar on my left thigh, and a sense of mistrust in your store's ability to protect and care for its customers. I share this publicly in the hope that no one else has to suffer from the same injury or the same dismissive treatment I experienced.
Sincerely,
A concerned and injured customer
