When a piece of furniture looks sturdy, you usually don’t question if it can hold weight; whether it be your own or books, televisions, clothes, etc. Unfortunately, dangerous furniture (bookcases, dressers, chairs, desks, etc.) injure over 2 million people each year. Furniture becomes more of a danger when other factors are involved; children playing rough on furniture pieces, or weak or elderly individuals using pieces to try to steady themselves while walking.
Cheap and poorly constructed furniture is more likely to break when trying to bear weight due to its low quality material; causing injuries and sometimes death.
Most injuries from dangerous furniture involve:
- Tip overs – furniture toppling over onto children due to poor weight distribution, uneven flooring, a child hanging on them, design flaws or a mix of these.
- Poisoning – toxic materials used in the construction of furniture poison people every day; symptoms of subtle poisoning can include: chronic headaches, rashes, eyes tearing for no obvious reason.
- Burns – thousands of people suffer second and third degree burns from faulty lamps, hot light bulbs and defective electrical wires; tripping on wiring and unstable/ungrounded lamps cause many of these injuries.
Homeowners must be attentive to the condition of outdoor furniture; if effected by the elements outdoor furniture pieces can easily become rusted and weakened.
Common patio furniture injuries include:
- Infections caused by cuts from rusted metal
- Cuts from sharp edges
- Deep wounds, head trauma or broken bones from collapsing furniture
If you or a loved one followed the manufacturer’s warning label, but still suffered an injury from dangerous or defective furniture, you have a right to file a product liability claim. Without an attorney, the manufacturer of the furniture or their insurance company will give you a lower offer than what your claim is worth. Parvey & Cavenago safeguard your right to a fair settlement by working to get insurance companies to settle with you for a fair compensation. We’re here to help; call us today to start building your case.