Call Kurtis: Home Depot Promised To Pay For My Injury But I Got Stiffed With Medical Bill

A Manteca man says The Home Depot promised to pay for his medical care when he was hurt at their store. But two years later, he got stiffed with the bill.

When he said The Home Depot blew him off, he called Kurtis.

He says he never would've accepted their help and gone to their medical office had he known he was going to end up paying the bills.

The Home Depot promised to pay, so why didn't they?

"I go to Home Depot almost every day," says OC Thomas.

Shopping for supplies at a Turlock Home Depot in 2008, Thomas was cut while reaching for a part.

"I went to squeeze my hand to pull the part out and as I pulled out, I sliced my hand on one of the fixtures. Blood all over the floor. It was a mess," Thomas said.

OC says a Home Depot manager told him to go to their workers comp clinic, where he received nearly two dozen stitches.

"We'll take care of all the cost, I won't receive a bill or anything like that," said OC.

But the medical clinic billed him $1,259.26 nearly two years later.

When OC called Home Depot, its claims company, Sedgwick, told him it wouldn't pay because too much time had passed.

"In California, if you're injured, you have two years to file the appropriate lawsuit in order to protect your interest," said Chris Wood, a personal injury attorney with Dreyer Babich Buccola Wood, LLP.

Wood says if you wait longer, you can't go after the store, even if they're at fault.

"Even if you get medical care and they promise to pay for it, you probably want to follow up with Home Depot's insurance company or Home Depot itself and ask them, 'Is this covered? Is it paid?'" Wood said.

Now sent to collections, OC's bill has ballooned to $1,717.08.

"I was very upset," said OC.

We contacted Home Depot. They didn't have an explanation for why OC's bills didn't get paid.

But in an email, tell us:

"We're terribly sorry there was confusion around the claims process; but we're very happy Mr. Thomas' reimbursement has been worked out, and we wish him all the best." -- Stephen Holmes, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications

After we got involved, OC's bill was wiped clean.

"I was very excited ... peace of mind," said OC.

Wood says it doesn't matter whether you go to your own doctor or the store's. It really depends on who's at fault. If it's the store, they should pay your medical bills.

If you do get injured, file a report with the store right away and get names and phone numbers of any witnesses. Otherwise, you may not be able to prove your case.