IKEA Facing Class Action Lawsuit Following 9 Deaths and Dozens of Injuries After Children Hit By Tipping Malm Dressers
NEW YORK, NEW YORK (January 8, 2022) – The Swedish furniture company IKEA is facing a class action lawsuit after nine children died and many more were injured from falling dresser drawers.
Ikea sold millions of ‘Malm dressers’ before the company eventually recalled them in 2016. The major problem with the Malm dressers is that they are top heavy and prone to tipping over.
They can tip over when one or all of the drawers are fully extended. Many children have become inadvertently crushed by the drawers as they have climbed on top of them.
The dressers have been especially deadly for children ages six and younger. This isn’t just a problem with IKEA Malm dressers. Consumer reports has estimated that 212 people have died in dresser tip-over accidents since 2000.
Many of these accidents could have been prevented if the dressers were designed differently or anchored to the wall. In January 2020, IKEA settled a lawsuit for $46,000,000 of behalf of a family whose 3-year-old daughter was killed by a Malm dresser that tipped over.
Liability For IKEA Furniture Accidents
Furniture companies like IKEA have a legal obligation to manufacture products that are reasonably safe. Companies that design furniture have a responsibility to test their products and do everything that they can to avoid creating a potentially dangerous product. When a company fails to make their products reasonably safe they could be held accountable through a product liability claim. In arguing for the existence of a design defect a plaintiff must show:
- The product was not reasonably safe due to a significant likelihood of harm;
- It was feasible for the product to have been designed in a safer way, and;
- The defect in question was the proximate cause of the injury a victim sustained. (Voss v. Black & Decker Mfg. Co., 59 N.Y.2d 102)
A company could also be liable for a death or injury caused by their product if they failed to warn about the non-obvious dangers associated with the use of their product. This is where the majority of the lawsuits against IKEA have been directed. Numerous lawsuits have claimed that IKEA failed to warn parents and consumers about how dangerous these drawers can be for small children. Children who are hit by these falling dressers tend to suffer very serious and costly injuries including:
- Broken bones
- Head injuries
- Lacerations
- Spinal cord injuries
- Death
The family of any child that is injured or killed in an accident involving an IKEA dresser drawer may have legal recourse through a civil claim. A civil claim can help cover many of the costs associated with a serious injury or death. Sadly, though, it is common for companies like IKEA to deny all responsibility when one of their products injures or kills one of their customers. A product liability attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating An IKEA Dresser Drawer Accident
We at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. extend our best wishes to all of the families with children who have been harmed by IKEA dressers. IKEA needs to step forward and take accountability for what has happened. They need to do a better job going forward in testing their products to make sure that they are safe for all ages.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured by a IKEA dresser? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of consumer safety advocates are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support after a collision we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 800-529-9997.
