What should have been a joyful family trip to celebrate a granddaughter’s graduation turned into a devastating tragedy — and now, the family is taking legal action. The relatives of 72-year-old U.S. Marine veteran Terril Johnson say he tragically died after stepping into a dangerously hot hotel shower in San Jose, and they’re demanding answers from the hotel about how something so preventable could happen.
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Johnson’s Family Says Hotel Shower “Boiled” Him Alive
According to a lawsuit filed earlier this month in Santa Clara County Superior Court, Terril Johnson’s family claims that dangerously hot shower water — reaching temperatures of up to 136 degrees — led to his death. To celebrate his granddaughter’s graduation from San Jose State University, Johnson drove six hours from Los Angeles with his loved ones. Upon arrival, he checked into the Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites near the San Jose Airport on May 22. But what began as a moment of family joy ended in devastation when Johnson stepped into what the family’s lawsuit describes as a shower that “effectively boiled him alive.”
Grandson Finds Marine In Scalding Water
As revealed in court documents, it was Johnson’s grandson who made the horrifying discovery. He reportedly found his grandfather unresponsive and partially submerged in water so hot that relatives couldn’t immediately pull him out. Family members, including Johnson’s son, daughter-in-law, and three granddaughters, reportedly watched in horror as they tried to save him. The Santa Clara County medical examiner later confirmed that Johnson suffered burns to over 33% of his body. Furthermore, the injuries were so severe that they ultimately led to his death.
Hot Water Horror Sparks Lawsuit Against Hotel
Johnson’s family describes him as a devoted husband, father, grandfather — and a proud Marine Corps veteran who served in Vietnam. Additionally, he was married to his high school sweetheart for 54 years and had recently retired from the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority. Their lawsuit argues that this tragedy could have been prevented, claiming the hotel failed to meet basic safety standards. California plumbing code limits water temperature in showers to 120 degrees. However, the complaint alleges the water reached as high as 136. “This was not a freak accident,” the lawsuit states. “It was the direct result of Defendant’s gross negligence and failure to meet even basic safety obligations.
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