[profileleft]
[/profileleft]IKEA is a company that has earned worldwide notice for its ability to offer consumers affordable products that are high in quality. The only “catch,” as anyone who has purchased IKEA products is aware, is that you have to put the products together yourself. Unfortunately, it appears that not all of the products offered by IKEA are safe.
Recent news indicates that a 7th child has been added to the statistics relating to deaths involving dressers that were subject to a recent IKEA recall. It is difficult to reach every consumer who may be affected by the recall of a potentially dangerous product.
The children’s rights lawyers at Gomez Trial Attorneys want to help spread the word regarding this IKEA dresser in hopes that people will see the news of the recall and take steps to protect their children.
About the IKEA Recall
The Consumer Product Safety Commission, or CPSC, announced the IKEA recall in June. Those interested in seeing all of the details of the MALM recall can find them here. In all, approximately 8 million MALM chests and dressers were subject to the recall as were 21 million other chests of drawers and dressers. Consumers who want to review the list of other products affected by the IKEA recall can find them here. These products were recalled because they were deemed unsafe if they were not anchored to the wall, as they posed a tipping hazard.
The recalled MALM dressers included the following:
Names Sold Date Measurements
- MALM 3 10/2002 – 2/2016 31½” x 18⅞” x 30¾”
- MALM 4 6/2002 – 6/2016 31½” x 18⅞” x 39½”
- MALM 5 10/2002 – 4/2006 157/8” x 19” x 481/4″
- MALM 6 6/2002 – 6/2016 31½” x 18⅞” x 48⅜”
- MALM 6 LONG 11/2002 – 6/2016 63” x 18⅞” x 30¾
- MALM 6 4/2006 – 6/2016 153/4” x 191/8” x 483/8″
A report in the Philadelphia Inquirer stated that the CSPC reviewed the death of a child in 2011 and found that it was caused by a toppled IKEA dresser. These seven deaths involved the use of several different types of IKEA dressers. The MALM dressers have been tied to four of the fatalities. The children died because these dressers fell on top of them.
Overall, IKEA received more than 40 tip-over reports from consumers. These dresser tip-overs led to more than a dozen injuries to children between the ages of 19 months and 10 years old. The CSPC and IKEA are both urging consumers to stop using these products until they are properly anchored. IKEA is offering anchoring kits for free. You can order one by clicking on this link. Consumers can either choose to anchor their units themselves or have a one-time installation done for no charge. Those who have other questions about refunds and the like can find that information here.
Children and Furniture Tip-Over Statistics
The children’s rights lawyers at Gomez Trial Attorneys hope that anyone who may be using any of these products take a close look at them. If they are part of the IKEA recall, make sure you eliminate the potential danger until you resolve the situation. The fatalities and injuries relating to this IKEA recall are only a small part of a much larger problem. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, an organization dedicated to preventing injuries in children, the following statistics relate to furniture tip-over accidents:
- 26 children die from injuries due to television, furniture or appliance tip-overs every year.
- More than 22,000 children who are under 20 years old report to emergency rooms because of furniture, television and appliance tip-over accidents on an annual basis.
- Emergency room visits because of television tip-over accidents alone has increased by a factor of more than 30 percent since 2002.
This is clearly a problem that is getting worse instead of better across the entire world.
How Children’s Rights Lawyers Can Help
People who suddenly lose a child because of a defective or otherwise dangerous product are understandably devastated in the immediate aftermath of the incident. There is nothing more tragic and horrifying than losing a child for any parent. People who find themselves in this situation are generally not in an emotional state that is conducive to the diligence, knowledge and skill necessary to hold large corporations accountable for the sudden loss of their child. Families who are dealing with this challenge need to do what they can to avoid having to deal with this process so that they can focus on being with each other and working through a very difficult time.
If you have or are facing this tragedy or your child has been harmed but fortunately survived the use of a defective product, seek the help of our experienced product recall lawyers who understand how to stand up and fight for the rights of consumers.
Contact Gomez Trial Attorneys today for a free case evaluation.
