One of America’s favorite donut chains, Dunkin’ Donuts, is at the center of a lawsuit after a man claimed he was injured after a toilet exploded at one of the brand’s central Florida locations.
The lawsuit filed by Paul Kerouac says he suffered “severe and long-term injuries” after a toilet exploded while he was using the facility at a Winter Park, Florida, location in 2022.
Kerouac recalled walking out of the men’s room covered in human feces, debris and urine and sought out an employee for help. He was informed by an employee that there had been previous issued with the toilet that they had been made aware of.
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The lawsuit says Kerouac has “required mental health care and counseling since the incident” and is seeking $100,000.
PEOPLE reached out to Kerouac’s attorney, Scott Spradley, for a statement. Spradley shared that the victim “’continues to suffer’ with mental and emotional side effects following the ‘shocking, nightmarish scenario,’ including ‘PTSD-like symptoms,'” according to the outlet.
“We are hopeful that the lawsuit will result in Mr. Kerouac being justly compensated for his injuries, even though the imagery will never be forgotten,” Spradley also wrote.
Details of the toilet explosion are unclear, but it isn’t as uncommon as you might think.
In 2018, Flushmate recalled more than 1.4 million toilets due to complaints that the units were at risk of exploding. The company received more than 1400 complains of toilet units bursting. The incidents caused more than $710,000 in property damage and 23 injuries. One of those injuries required surgery.
CBS reported at the time that “A buildup of pressure in the toilet system can cause them to explode, lifting the tank, shattering the tank, and spraying shards that can lacerate people and damage property.”
In 2013, a New York man was injured after the toilet in his apartment exploded when he flushed it. The building’s plumbing system was undergoing maintenance at the time and, as a result, the toilet had built up pressure that caused it to burst when flushed.
The man suffered injuries to his head, arms and legs, according to ABC News.