Investigation: Customers say they were left helpless by Philadelphia wheelchair company

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A Philadelphia company, whose business is to help the handicapped, injured and disabled, is the focus of an Action News Investigation.

The company goes by the name Mr. Wheelchair. Three people complained to Action News that the company provided faulty equipment - or none at all - and failed to honor warranties or repair the equipment promptly after taking deposits.

Linda Herrold and her husband have a tough time navigating the stairs to their Pennsville, New Jersey home.

"My husband is on hospice, and he's almost totally bedroom ridden," she said. "I need a new knee and new ankle."

She said she paid roughly $2,500 for a used Acorn Superglide 120 chairlift in March of this year. Six weeks later, she said it broke down.

"He has no scruples. He has no conscience," she said.

She said the owner of Mr. Wheelchair, Mike Sierra, said he'd fix it under the one-year warranty but never showed.

"He takes your money and runs. If I could do it myself, I'd go up there and kick him to kingdom come," Herrold said.

"These people need this equipment for daily functioning and quality of life," said Maribeth Bogush.

Bogush helped her aunt Cathy, sue Mr. Wheelchair after the company failed to deliver a mechanical chair for her uncle Carlo Cantagallo, who suffered from various ailments.

They paid $2,000 when Cantagallo ordered the chair in June 2020. When it failed to arrive three months later, they canceled the order. Cantagallo died a month later.

"So he was frustrated. He did seek help, you know, in trying to get the refund," said Bogush.

Initially, they said Sierra returned $1,000 but never sent the rest. They sued and nearly a year after ordering the chair won a default judgment. Three days later, Sierra paid the remaining refund but not the additional $2,000 in court-imposed penalties.

"That's what Mr. Wheelchair is relying on, is delaying, delaying, delaying until people just go away," said Bogush.

Action News showed up at Sierra's storefront on the 7900 block of Frankford Avenue.

Sierra insisted he'd make it right with Herrold.

"By all means, we are not trying to take anything from anybody. We'll take care of it," he said.

He even called Herrold as the cameras rolled. He offered to go to Herrold's that evening, or the next, to replace her equipment with a new version.

Action News Investigative Reporter Chad Pradelli asked Sierra if he could understand why he has to get involved to make sure people are getting what they paid for. He responded, 'yes.'

A few weeks after the visit to Sierra's shop, he opted to refund Herrold delivering a check for nearly $2,500.

"And I figured well my last hope is ABC and you came through," Herrold said.

Sierra said he may not be in business much longer due to financial difficulties.