A patron of a Dunkin Donuts franchise store who used the men's room toilet alleged that while he was using the toilet it tipped to one side and he sustained a severe injury to his hand and back as a result of stopping himself from falling over with the toilet.
Drake Exhibits, working for the insurance carrier, met with a plumber on the site and documented the dimensions of the men's room, toilet, and the connections to the floor flange and water supply pipe. The plaintiff testified that water spilled out of the toilet when it tipped before he stopped it from falling over. There was no evidence the water supply line came loose. The store manager testified there was no damage to the water supply line.
A series of graphics were produced from a computer model to show how far the toilet could tip before it would damage the water supply line and how far it would have to tip to get water on the floor.
for Hanover Insurance Co.
Manchester, NH
