Goldstein v. Home Depot U.S.A., Inc.

609 F. Supp. 2d 1340, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 36134
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Georgia
DecidedMarch 11, 2009
Docket1:08-cv-01825
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 609 F. Supp. 2d 1340 (Goldstein v. Home Depot U.S.A., Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Goldstein v. Home Depot U.S.A., Inc., 609 F. Supp. 2d 1340, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 36134 (N.D. Ga. 2009).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

CLARENCE COOPER, District Judge.

The above-styled action is before the Court on the following motions: (1) Plaintiffs Combined Motion for Preliminary Injunction and for Expedited Discovery [Doc. No. 4]; (2) The Home Depot U.S.A., Inc.’s Motion to Strike [Doc. No. 26]; (3) Plaintiffs Amended Combined Motion for Preliminary Injunction and for Expedited Discovery [Doc. No. 30]; (4) Home Depot’s Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs First Amended Class Action Complaint [Doc. No. 34]; and (5) The Home Depot U.S.A., Inc.’s Motion to Strike [Doc. No. 51]. For the reasons set forth below, the Court grants in part and denies in part Home Depot’s Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs First Amended Class Action Complaint [Doc. No. 34], denies in part and denies as moot in part Plaintiffs Combined Motion for Preliminary Injunction and for Expedited Discovery [Doc. No. 4], denies in part and denies as moot in part Plaintiffs Amended Combined Motion for Preliminary Injunction and for Expedited Discovery [Doc. No. 30], and denies as moot Home Depot U.S.A., Inc.’s Motions to Strike [Doc. Nos. 26, 51].

I. BACKGROUND

A. Facts

Plaintiff Ryan Goldstein (“Plaintiff’), individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, filed this putative class action against Defendant The Home Depot U.S.A., Inc. (“Defendant”), alleging that Defendant has failed to install clothes dryers (the “Dryers”) properly and that Defendant, upon information and belief, continues to do so. (First Am. Class Action Compl. ¶ 10.) Despite marketing itself as employing “professional installers” of products purchased from it, guaranteeing its installations, calling its installations “reliable” and “quality,” and referring to its installations as “installations you can trust,” (id. ¶ 1), Plaintiff alleges that Defendant has failed to follow manufacturers’ specifications for the type of vent that should be used during installation of the Dryers, (id. ¶¶ 4-5). Plaintiff alleges that the Dryers themselves and/or the installation manuals for the Dryers contain warning signs regarding the installation of vents, which specify that plastic, thin foil, or non-metal flexible ducts should not be used when installing the Dryers. (Id. ¶ 3.) As a result of the alleged failure by Defendant and its installers to follow the warnings of the manufacturers, Plaintiff alleges that the manufacturers’ warranties have *1343 been violated and that dangerous conditions that can result in death or fire have been created. (Id. ¶ 6.)

Plaintiff alleges that he, like other members of the putative class, entered into a contract with Defendant for the installation of his Dryer and paid an additional sum of money for the installation. (Id. ¶¶ 2, 9.) Plaintiff purchased a Maytag Dryer from Defendant in or about June 2005 and contracted with Defendant for the additional sum of $145 for delivery and “professional” installation of the Dryer by Defendant. (Id. ¶¶ 18, 23.) In April 2008, Plaintiff allegedly discovered, for the first time, the warning contained in the Dryer’s manual, which stated that “[pjlastic or nonmetal flexible duct presents a potential fire hazard.” (Id. ¶ 24.) The manual also contained a picture warning against the use of plastic, thin foil, or non-metal flexible duct. (Id. ¶ 25.) Additionally, on the back of Plaintiffs Dryer was a picture showing the use of a heavy metal vent and not the use of a foil or plastic vent for use when installing the Dryer. (Id. ¶ 26.) After discovering the warning labels and the pictures for the first time, Plaintiff inspected the Dryer vent utilized by Defendant when it installed the Dryer and discovered that it was a metal foil vent. (Id. ¶ 27.) Plaintiffs Dryer manual further stated that an improper installation of the Dryer risks voiding the warranty. (Id. ¶ 29.)

Plaintiff alleges he had no part in the decision to use a foil vent. (Id. ¶ 30.) According to Plaintiff, he did not select the vent and did not know what vent Defendant used. (Id.) Rather, Plaintiff alleges Defendant selected the vent and that he relied upon Defendant and its “professional installers” to install the Dryer properly, including using a vent not specifically prohibited by the Dryer’s manufacturer. (Id.) Plaintiff also alleges he did not know that Maytag forbids the use of foil vents or that installation of a foil vent may void Maytag’s warranty on the Dryer. (Id.) Had he known, Plaintiff alleges he would have insisted that Defendant use the proper type of vent and install the Dryer correctly. (Id.) Notwithstanding the foregoing, Plaintiffs installation delivery receipt, which was a part of Plaintiffs installation contract and was both initialed and signed by Plaintiff, specifically noted the type of transition ducting used to install Plaintiffs Dryer, a “Flex Dryer Duct.” 1 (See Ex. A to Home Depot’s Memorandum of Law in Support of Its Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs First Amended Class Action Complaint.)

In addition to manufacturer specifications, Plaintiff alleges that many governmental, consumer, and trade groups have cautioned against the use of metal foil or plastic vents. (First Am. Class Action Compl. ¶ 35.) Further, Plaintiff points out that, according to the U.S. Fire Administration, clothes dryers were involved in an estimated 15,600 U.S. structure fires, fifteen deaths, 400 injuries, and $99 million in direct property damage, annually, between 2002-2004. (Id. ¶ 36.) Plaintiff alleges that the leading cause of the fires was due to the improper installation of vents and the excessive build up of lint within the Dryer and ventilation tubes. (Id. ¶ 37.) Plaintiff alleges that Defendant has knowledge of these risks but still has chosen to install Dryers using improper materials. (Id. ¶ 38.)

As a result of Defendant’s alleged actions, Plaintiff claims that Defendant has breached its installation contracts with all putative class members by not installing *1344 the Dryers according to the manufacturers’ specifications. {Id. ¶¶ 11, 15, 38, 50-56, 57-66.) Plaintiff alternatively claims that Defendant has been unjustly enriched. {Id. ¶¶ 67-76.) Plaintiff also alternatively claims that Defendant is liable for money had and received. {Id. ¶¶ 77-83.) Plaintiff includes a claim for injunctive relief, {Id. ¶¶ 84-91.) In addition to injunctive relief, Plaintiff seeks money damages or specific performance. {Id. ¶¶ 56, 66.) Plaintiff alternatively seeks reimbursement, restitution, and disgorgement from Defendant. {Id. ¶¶ 76, 83.)

B. Procedural History

Plaintiff filed his original Complaint in this action on May 21, 2008. Shortly thereafter, Plaintiff filed a Combined Motion for Preliminary Injunction and for Expedited Discovery [Doc. No. 4], On July 21, 2008, Defendant filed a Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs Complaint [Doc. No.

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609 F. Supp. 2d 1340, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 36134, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/goldstein-v-home-depot-usa-inc-gand-2009.