Lenscrafters' employee damaged my glasses during adjustment

Hello.
Today, after noticing that my spectacle frame was somewhat loose I
decided to visit Lenscrafters for an adjustment. Needless to mention,
the frame and lenses were purchased a little over a year ago at
Lenscrafters.
One of the emplyees (who I later learned was a general manager of the
store) said he would take care of that. As you know, before bending a
plastic frame, they need to heat the worked on element. Unfortunately,
the person performing this adjustment, seemed to be quite in rush and
doing two things at a time. He put the frame on the heating instrument
for a little (in my opinion) too long.
The result of frame adjustment wasn't fully satisfactory, but it seemed
better than before the adjustment.
After walking out of the store I quickly learned that the left lens has
been damaged - more precisedly, the upper half of the lens was full of
visible 'cracks' on the surface, that looked as if you heated a plastic
bag.
The lenses are hi index 1.67 plastic with an A/R coating. I am sure he
overheated the lens, which in turn created those cracks, making looking
through the lens almost impossible.
I immediately returned to the store demanding a consultation with the
manager. At this point I learned that the manager was the person who
damaged my lens. I informed the person at the front desk that one of
the lenses has been damaged by that guy. She took the glasses to the
back office to consult with another emplyee. After returning she
informed me they would replace the damaged lens, but that would take
two weeks.
That seemed ridiculous to me - I came to the store just for an
adjustment, and here, suddenly, some guy damages my glasses. Two weeks
- I thought - is an extremely long period of time, especially that I
dont have a spare pair of glasses I could use, so I demanded an
expedited service. They refused and said it will take two weeks. [Btw
my prescription is quite strong -9.5 and -6.5].
Nobody said they were sorry, nobody apologized for the incovenience.
They said I could go to lenscrafters.com and find a number I can call
to file a complaint.
So now, with my eyes two inches from the computer screen, I am asking
what sould I do. How I am going to study (I am a university student),
how am I going to work...
Should I file a lawsuit in the tort low for damages caused by en
employee's negligence? What else could I do.

Since my right eye vision is very low, I wasn't able to drive, so my
girlfriend took me home.

Every advice of suggestion will be greatly appreciated.

Eugene

 

I have not threatened them with a lawsuit at the time of the incident
or any time thereafter. In my belief, the guy working on the
adjustment, missed the boat by trying to hide the fact he damaged
lenses, not by not apologizing. I don't expect apology - I expect a
proper service that I had paid for.
I realized now that it took him unreasonably long time to attempt to
clean the cracks - unfortunately it wasn't fixable. He never mentioned
what happed.
What is your point in saying that it was a courtesy that they were
making an adjustment to the frame free of charge? Not even a year has
passed since I purched the glasses.
The person doing the adjustment wasn't busy serving other paying
customers. Notice -that I had also paid for my 'product'. Looks like
you believe in a philosophy of a market seller: "sell, and do not
care". And don't service until they buy $500 worth of glasses every 12
months.

I suppose they set about providing new lenses because they might have
realized they just damaged two weeks of my 'normal' functioning - as I
can't operate normally in damaged glasses in school and at work.

The injury done - in fact - not as significant as bodily injury;
nevertheless disturbs my life.
The net tangible loss will be a sacrificed (lost) income from fork (or
opportunity cost of my being unable to perform at a normal level), and
heavily impacted studying ability.

Try to heavily scratch your glasses, and wear them for two weeks,
trying to study and work and perhaps then you will understand it more
clearly. Assume the fact of an incident is being hidden from you.

In the meantime I have damaged glasses, plenty of stress I am
experiencing etc. I am not in favor of frivolous lawsuits, but the lack
of professionalism and human sympathy at that Lenscrafter store was
just outrageous.

 

He probably didn't even notice it. You said "After walking
out of the store I quickly learned...". They handed you
freshly adjusted glasses. I assume you must have looked
at them, but didn't notice the damage until after walking
out? If he was "hurried" as you say he probably didn't
take a lot of time to inspect them closely either.

You wrote: "Needless to mention, the frame and lenses
were purchased a little over a year ago at Lenscrafters."

You wrote: "Unfortunately, the person performing this
adjustment, seemed to be quite in rush and
doing two things at a time." Just what was that "other
thing"?

Glasses are fairly fragile, can be lost, etc. All these are
fairly normal occurences. Any time they are worked on
they can be damaged or broken. I'm strictly a consumer
and I suspect their liability (and professional fairness)
wouldn't extend beyond providing a free replacement
in a normal amount of time.

If your glasses are critical to your daily function I would
think it your responsibility to have a backup.

As far as "professionalism" and human sympathy, they
are not there for counseling. And yes, I think it would
be an extremely frivolous lawsuit (and I'm from California
where we set the bar pretty low...).

-Quick

 

BTW Should not they have checked the optical centers of the lenses
before ordering them for me? I don't want to learn two weeks from now
that the lenses they will get for me will have some distoreted optical
centers? They also don't have the frames - how does the process of
making new lenses look like in this case?

 

He probably didn't even notice it. You said "After walking
out of the store I quickly learned...". They handed you
freshly adjusted glasses. I assume you must have looked
at them, but didn't notice the damage until after walking
out? If he was "hurried" as you say he probably didn't
take a lot of time to inspect them closely either.

-He did notice it, but was try to hide the fact. At first I believed it
was only a ramaining fluid after he tried to clean the lenses.
-If he was hurried, he should not have attempted fixing it.

You wrote: "Needless to mention, the frame and lenses


were purchased a little over a year ago at Lenscrafters."

-glasses were purchased less than a year ago. It was my mistake of
saying a little over a year ago.

You wrote: "Unfortunately, the person performing this


adjustment, seemed to be quite in rush and
doing two things at a time." Just what was that "other
thing"?

-Some rush for no reason, or just to go back and chat with others.

Glasses are fairly fragile, can be lost, etc. All these are
fairly normal occurences. Any time they are worked on
they can be damaged or broken. I'm strictly a consumer
and I suspect their liability (and professional fairness)
wouldn't extend beyond providing a free replacement
in a normal amount of time.

-They are fragile and should be carried carrefuly, not left on the
heater.

If your glasses are critical to your daily function I would
think it your responsibility to have a backup.

- A reasonable person would not assume the glasses would be damaged
during adjustment.

As far as "professionalism" and human sympathy, they
are not there for counseling. And yes, I think it would
be an extremely frivolous lawsuit (and I'm from California
where we set the bar pretty low...).

- Professionalism in conducting business. Heared of that? Sympathy just
to say sorry.

 

I'm not a lawyer either, and I'm certainly not an OD (and have no idea
how eye care works over there). By looking at the URL for the poster,
it appears that he is posting from Poland. They may not even have small
claims courts, and the concept of free adjustments may well have a
different time period than is customary in the US.

I would have expected a sincere apology. Nobody expects to lose the use
of their glasses due to a minor adjustment.

 

if you bought your glasses there then they know the pd.
they are helping you out. they should have apologized
but you'll be fine. chill

 

I currently stay in the U.S.

I would really appreciate if someone would help me with the question I
already posted:

BTW Should not they have checked the optical centers of the lenses
before ordering them for me? I don't want to learn two weeks from now
that the lenses they will get for me will have some distoreted optical
centers? They also don't have the frames - how does the process of
making new lenses look like in this case?


Thank you all for all replies.

Eugene

 

you are probably correct.

After returning she

You are asking too much. Even LC can't do those in "about an hour". But
they could knock out a pair of thick lenses to get you by.

Ask them to make you a good deal on a temporary standard lens in a cheap
frame (assuming you don't have a backup pair, which to me is *way*
ridiculous for you not to have with an Rx like yours).

You could do that. I would argue that you are negligent not having a
spare Rx.

ibid.

w.stacy, o.d.

 

I would contact that LC again and let them know you are totally
incapacitated while your glasses are away being made and ask what they can
do. I would get a consultation with a lawyer if they don't have a
satisfactory solution. It's funny how 2 weeks can turn into only a few days
once you mention you are getting a lawyer.

BTW keep in mind many of the people replying to you in this newsgroup work
in the opticial industry so they are biased toward supporting their business
rather than you the customer, of course they wouldn't want to be sued by a
customer for their own incompetence. You are definitley suffering right now,
physically and financially, as a result of LC's actions so I would at least
speak to a lawyer as you have nothing to lose, only LC does. Good luck!

 

Amazing. You live here in California too right?
A lawyer will listen and then tell you what their
fee is. I assume you keep one on retainer.

Jean (and you?) are suffering. Probably all the
time. Jean mentioned being in college. It may
be difficult to show financial damage.

I am not in the optical, medical, or legal profession.

-Quick