Purchased an EZ Grill (according to the package it is manufactured in China for Yankee Trading (an OSJL wholly owned subsidiary which has products manufactured and distributes through their retail OSJL stores) for an AA cookout to use for our veggie burgers.
I put grill on picnic table around 11:45 am, and prepared as normal, placing coals in a pile to light and let them turn grey before spreading. I was not able to spread as they burnt right through the aluminum pan! I was standing in front of it chatting with friends and shocked, immediately reacted using my hands to keep the coals away from my clothing as they fell, receiving second and third degree burns on hands (not realizing at the moment), with pieces of charcoal melting through my sneakers.
I did not think it was bad and continued cooking on other grills, NOT using the EZ Grill. This was an AA cookout, (A. Anonymous). After the meeting at 4 pm we cleaned up and left the park. On my way home I was looking at how bad the blisters were on my hands and looked online about burns on hands.
It said that burns on hands should be seek medical attention. I went to Urgent Care, was told I had second and third degree burns by the Dr, treated, wrapped and given a prescription for antibiotics, as the fear was infection.
On Monday morning I contacted Ocean State Job Lot to make a complaint and ask that the grill be removed from the shelf for safety review. I explained to Kathryn that I was not looking for a lawsuit but wanted to just get this settled as I did not consider it major at the time. Compensate for my new Nike sneakers and something for my inability to workout or completely use hands. She was very nice, empathetic and understood. She asked for me to send an email with details and pictures which I complied.
On Friday, while at a conference in NYC, I noticed a missed call from OSL but when I checked VM there was nothing left. On Monday I called Kathryn and she told me that Sue noted that she left a VM (there was not) and sent an email, yet there was none in my inbox, my spam not my deleted/trash.
Kathryn copied and pasted the email that Sue supposedly sent. Sue did not even show any empathy, nor concern for how my hands were doing.
She immediately went into a legal posture which I did not want. She stated she wanted to arrange for a time to take my statement and wanted the names and contact information for the witnesses. This was an AA cookout. (A. Anonymous)
All I wanted was for them to make an offer for some type of restitution. Looking at the pictures of the grill you can clearly see how the coals burned right through in a circle where they were placed. Based on her requesting for me to break anonymity and provide names and contact info, I decided, to protect the fellowship, if this is how Ocean State Job Lot wanted to proceed, we should probably go through attorneys.
This is ludicrous. It would cost more for the attorneys than I was seeking. Ocean State Job Lot, while they have the pictures of the grill, my burns and melted sneakers, have now chosen to just ignore me and would prefer to go through an attorney, break the anonymity of the individuals rather than just do the right thing.
I'm disappointed in how they treat their fellow Rhode Islanders! 1) Lack of concern for customers! Profits over safety. 2) Lack of concern for anonymity of AA fellowship. 3) Would prefer to jump to legal and lawsuits first instead of speaking with the individual and THEN could decide their position.
Check out the products first since OSJL doesn't care! If it is "distributed" by Yankee Trading in North Kingstown, RI, research safety or don't buy!! read more