this post was submitted on 04 Jan 2024
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A customer has filed a negligence lawsuit against Dunkin’, claiming he was injured by an exploding toilet at one of the coffee chain’s locations in central Florida.

Paul Kerouac is seeking more than $100,000 in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in state court in Orlando, claiming he suffered “severe and long term injuries” following the explosion of a toilet in the men’s room of a Dunkin’ location in Winter Park, Florida, a year ago.

After the explosion left Kerouac covered in human feces, urine and debris, he walked out of the men’s room seeking help from workers and the store’s manager, according to the lawsuit. An employee told him that they were aware of the “problem with the toilet” since there had been previous incidents, the lawsuit says, without diving into further details about the explosion.

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[–] conciselyverbose@kbin.social 34 points 8 months ago (4 children)

A. How the fuck does a toilet explode?

B. If they knew there was something wrong with it, a sign saying "out of order" takes 10 seconds.

[–] Nollij@sopuli.xyz 14 points 8 months ago (1 children)

This is seriously the only question that needs to be answered. Well, that and what the "previous incidents" means.

Of course, we won't get any answers until it plays out in court, and even then it'll probably be settled quietly with no details released.

[–] jballs@sh.itjust.works 10 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Usually I'm against speculation in the news. But in this case, I feel like reporting "An employee told him that they were aware of the 'problem with the toilet' since there had been previous incidents, the lawsuit says, without diving into further details about the explosion" just doesn't go far enough.

If the company won't provide an explanation, I say get ridiculous with it to force a response. Something like "some speculate the cause of the explosion to be linked to diarrhea allegedly caused by Dunkin's new MIGHTY MACCHIATO." Print that and let them correct you.

[–] Nollij@sopuli.xyz 5 points 8 months ago

I've never thought of applying Cunningham's Law to social situations before. I like it, but I can already see the disaster looming if it becomes commonplace.

[–] Tremble@sh.itjust.works 2 points 8 months ago

I will say the machiato is what made my toilet explode as well

[–] CascadianGiraffe@lemmy.world 10 points 8 months ago (1 children)

A crack or chip in the porcelain. When they finally give way, they can be dramatic about it. It's not uncommon at all and can happen while not in use. Temperature changes can trigger it as well.

Always replace a chipped or cracked toilet ASAP. Not worth the risk of mess or injury.

[–] Thteven@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago

Broken porcelain is definitely not something I want to fall onto.

[–] NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip 6 points 8 months ago

Speculation: I assume there are two potentials here

  1. Septic/plumbing issue has led to "burps" and sprayed feces. If you've ever plunged a particularly clogged toilet, you learn REALLY fast to still keep your distance because air WILL come back up and there will be splatter. The "explosion" in this case is a big air bubble causing the toilet soup to spray over and it is horrifying but nowhere near as dramatic as an "explosion"
  2. The toilet shattered with the weight of the plaintiff or some other freak accident occurred. Someone in the stall next door freaked out and complained while the plaintiff was pulling their pants on and questioning if life was worth living at that point. The overworked employee basically just said "Yeah, yeah, we know. The bathroom is fucked. Whatever"

As for the sign:

  1. The toilet still flushes and this happens rarely. So it is easier to just leave the bathroom open rather than deal with angry customers all the time. Bonus points if that prick Todd is on clean up duty
  2. The sign went up shortly after the third employee had a chance to go back and see what was going on. Since the first two quit on the spot
[–] dangblingus@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 8 months ago

This is Florida we're talking about.

[–] ShepherdPie@midwest.social 24 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Funny headline, but the porcelain is incredibly sharp and this sounds terrifying. I've definitely read stories about morbidly obese people breaking toilets from the weight and then being sliced to pieces as gravity kicks in. Imagine not only getting sliced open but then having your wounds coated in urine and fecal matter.

I'll take "Fears I never thought I'd have" for $1000, Alex

[–] Eccitaze@yiffit.net 7 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

In my last apartment, the flush lever broke and I couldn't be arsed to call maintenance, so I popped over to the hardware store and grabbed a replacement for 5 bucks. As I was putting the lid back on after installing the replacement, it shattered into 3 huge shards in my hand while I was holding it, for no apparent reason. One of those shards cut deep into the side of my hand like a hot knife through butter, right where my pinky met my palm. Barely avoided severing a nerve, and I still have a visible scar where it cut me.

Porcelain is no fucking joke, man.

[–] kaitco@lemmy.world 17 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Just $100K? If that had happened to me, Dublin would be paying me in the millions just for the settlement amount.

[–] ObviouslyNotBanana@lemmy.world 22 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I don't understand what Ireland has to do with this

[–] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 31 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Dunkin’ is headquartered in Massachusetts and is VERY popular in that state. Dunkin’s massive popularity in Massachusetts is arguably the reason Dunkin’ is a successful company.

Massachusetts has the largest population of Irish immigrants in the United States. Irish Americans were therefore critical to growing Dunkin'. Without the Irish, Dunkin wouldn’t exist, and this incident would not have occurred.

Dublin is the capital of Ireland, and that is where the Irish president sits. That’s the obvious best place to ask for compensation from the nation.

[–] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 7 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Personally, I blame Kevin Bacon

[–] Forester@yiffit.net 7 points 8 months ago

But why male models?

[–] ObviouslyNotBanana@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

Yeah that makes sense I guess. Who knew Dublin was such an important player?

[–] osarusan@kbin.social 10 points 8 months ago

Filthy, injured, and in Florida. It hardly gets any worse than that.

[–] Riccosuave@lemmy.world 7 points 8 months ago

One time I was staying at a KOA campground and the urinal I was standing in front of fell off the wall, broke when it hit the ground, and the porcelain cut my thigh about 6 inches. In hindsight I'm lucky it didn't chop my manhood off, or sever my femoral artery. Haven't thought about that in years. Probably could have and should have sued them because I needed a bunch of stitches and it could have seriously maimed me.

[–] IdiosyncraticIdiot@sh.itjust.works 4 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

"No shit?"

"Actually, all the shit."

- convo with the employees after the incident probably

[–] spudwart@spudwart.com 4 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Skibidi Toilet, more like Skibidi bop mm dada

[–] muntedcrocodile@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago

How the fuck does a toilet just friggin explode.

[–] cheese_greater@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago

He def got a good Dunkin'g

[–] IHeartBadCode@kbin.social 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)
[–] TubeTalkerX@kbin.social 2 points 8 months ago

Not anymore!

[–] geekworking@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Was Florida Man flushing M80s again?

Toilets can break, fall, shatter, etc and cause injury, but generally won't explode without some help.

[–] ChunkMcHorkle@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

deleted by creator

[–] PrincessLeiasCat@sh.itjust.works 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Here’s the lawsuit for those interested; not a lot to it, barely 4 pages, and most of it was in the article. They don’t really go into more detail. This part was funny though…I would not want to be the victim of the exploding toilet.

c. Negligently failing to warn or adequately warn Plaintiff of the gander of the mens' room toilet, when Defendant knew or should have known that the toilet was unreasonably dangerous, leaving Plaintiff unaware of the danger.

  1. As a direct result of Defendant's breach and/or multiple breaches of its duties and obligations to Plaintiff, who was lawfully on Defendant's premises, Plaintiff unwittingly became the victim of the exploding toilet and of the aftermath which followed, and sustained damages, including injuries and emotional and mental distress.

https://www.scribd.com/document/696493827/Dunkin-Donuts-Being-Sued#from_embed

[–] jago@lemmy.ca 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

c. Negligently failing to warn or adequately warn Plaintiff of the gander of the mens’ room toilet...

Well, there you go: summary judgment to the Plaintiff. If you don't tell your customers that there's a fucking HATEFUL COBRA TURKEY keeping jealous possession of the Mens' loo, like some latter-day dragon guarding its hoard, you deserve to be sued at the very least, and just for starters until greater commensurate punitive action can be determined.


@PrincessLeiasCat@sh.itjust.works , this was initially to be a playful ribbing of what I'd thought was a typo oversight, on your part, of transcribing text from the court document.

But seeing that it's the actual text of the filing absolves you, and makes the typo oversight that much funnier.

Florida never fails to entertain and disappoint.

[–] Supermariofan67@programming.dev 3 points 8 months ago
[–] mateomaui@reddthat.com 1 points 8 months ago

New fear unlocked

[–] Pappabosley@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago

Sounds like the toilet finally got it's revenge

[–] orangeNgreen@lemmy.world 0 points 8 months ago

What a shitty situation.

[–] Rapidcreek@lemmy.world 0 points 8 months ago

Paul Kerouac...of course Orlando has Jack Kerouac's home. Not too far from Winter Park.