Viral Video Exposes the Dangers of Unsecured Furniture

Jul 31, 2017 - Dangerous Products/Liability, Personal Injury by Cross & Smith

An Orem, UT family started the new year with a frightening event, according to an article from The Washington Post. A nanny cam video illustrated how easily 2-year old twin toddlers can tip over a dresser, in this case, trapping one twin under the heavy furniture. Thanks to heroic efforts by the other twin, his trapped brother escaped without injury.

In spite of the happy ending, most people will find this short video to be difficult to watch. Our Tuscaloosa accident attorneys want to help families make sure that their nanny cam videos do not ever reveal this type of accident

Consumers are the First Line of Defense Against Tip-Over Accidents

The most recent report from the Consumer Products Safety Commission found that over 17,000 children went to emergency rooms due to tip-overs between 2013 and 2015, and more than 400 children died. Perhaps statistics are more accurate than they were years ago, but it seems clear that the materials and design of much of today’s furniture and appliances makes them less sturdy than their older counterparts.

There are many ways for consumers to take action to protect themselves and their children from accidental injury, including the following:

• Read all product instructions before installation: In addition to reviewing how-to information that includes instructions on how to ensure that any product is secure, be sure to read the safety warnings that are generally prominently displayed first on the instruction sheet or pamphlet.
• Secure anything that potentially poses danger: Even when flat-screen TVs are mounted on top of furniture rather than to a wall, that wall (or another stable object) can — and should — be used as an anchor point. Also, tall furniture may seem heavy, but it can easily tip. The effort spent to anchor heavy furniture is well-worth avoiding a frightening trip to the emergency room.
• Keep dangers out of children’s reach: Even a small trinket placed on top of a dresser or TV stand can serve as a powerful attraction to small children. Whether have to climb for it, or even if they can reach something easily, they can certainly send a flat-screen TV or heavy furniture toppling on top of them.

Unfortunately, while taking protective measures is always important, those measures can be ineffective if any number of product defects contribute to accidents.

Product Defects can Still Lead to Accidental Injuries

Anything from poor product design and materials to damages caused during shipping can lead to unstable products. Additionally, even if installation instructions document anchoring and other safety procedures, those instructions are only effective if they are well-written and include detailed, clear illustrations.

No one should automatically assume blame when family members sustain injuries related to appliance or furniture tip-overs. A free initial consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney can help determine if legal action is appropriate.

Additional Resources:

Tip-Over Information Center, Consumer Product Safety Commission

Other Blog topics

Product Safety Organization Cites Dismal Effectiveness of Children’s Product Recalls, Tuscaloosa Personal Injury Blog