Defective Furniture and Household Appliances

Many thousands of Americans are injured from pieces of household furniture and various appliances every year. These can occur to anybody and at any time, and can result in seriously debilitating injuries. Product manufacturers and designers may be liable for these types of injuries, especially if a design flaw contributed to the accident. A personal injury attorney from the Cambridge-based firm of Altman & Altman LLP can help determine if you’re eligible for financial compensation.

The most common appliances and implements that can cause injuries are television sets, desks, bookcases, shelves and dressers – often times tipping over onto young children. Sometimes these household items are dangerously wobbly or have inadequate warning labels, which leave consumers at a risk of becoming a victim to once they failing or tip over as the result of normal use.

What Kind of Injuries do Furniture and Household Appliances Cause?

Furniture and household appliances can lead to a host of different injuries including:

• Neck injuries
• Head injuries and brain damage
• Spinal cord injuries
• Full or partial paralysis
• Burns from electronic products or flammable items
• Electrocution from electronics
• Broken and crushed bones
• Permanent disfigurement
• Coma and death

The type of injury suffered usually depends on the age of the victim. Children ages 1 to 3 tend to suffer the most serious injuries, such as permanently debilitating injuries to the head and neck. Lower body injuries are more common in older children and adults, but any of the aforementioned injuries can really happen to anybody who happens to be caught underneath a falling piece of furniture or appliance.

How to prevent injuries from household furniture and appliances:

• Anchor heavy furniture to the wallPlace televisions on furniture that is appropriately-sized and low to the ground.
• Don’t use television stands with drawers. Children may be tempted to climb up them.
• Secure free-standing stoves so that they may not be easily tipped over
• Keep electronics and anything with a cord out of the reach of children
• Don’t put anything that might be attractive to children on your TV stand (i.e. toys or anything resembling a toy like knick-knacks, DVDs, remote controls, etc.)

If you have been injured from a defective household item or if you have any questions about whether or not an incident that occurred and resulted in an injury may allow you to collect financial compensation, the attorneys at Altman & Altman would like to help you.

Although products liability law can be very complicated, an experienced and skilled attorney will be able to walk you through the claims process and assess whether or not you have a good case to pursue against a negligent company, designer or other third party.

Our team of personal injury attorneys has more than 50 years of experience, and it shows in the results we get for our clients in the Greater Boston Area and throughout Massachusetts. Over the years, we have represented persons seriously injured or killed because of all kinds of dangerous and defective products. We have recovered from some of the largest manufacturers in the world.

Call a personal injury attorney from Altman & Altman LLP at 617.492.3000 or 800.481.6199 toll-free, or contact us online for a free consultation. We are available 24/7 to answer any questions that you might have for us.