Who’s Responsible When a Defective Chair Hurts a Toddler?

Did a Defective Chair Cause the Amputation of a Child’s Finger?

Young Family in Philadelphia

In July 2015, a one-and-a-half year-old child from Pittsburgh was in her Sesame Street folding chair when something went wrong. The chair tipped backwards, folded up and crashed to the ground with the toddler in it. The metal legs pinched and crushed the child’s fingers, causing severe injuries. Now, the child’s parents want compensation, but first, they must prove that the accident was caused by the defective chair.

When a Bad Product Causes Child Injuries

When they took the girl to the hospital, doctors discovered fractured bones, crushed nail beds, deep lacerations and they were forced to partially amputate the baby’s left ring finger. Permanent scarring, disfigurement, and other issues were the claimed results of these injuries. This is why the parents filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers of this folding chair, and after an investigation by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), they had good reason to.

The consumer watchdog found that the Sesame Street chair in question violated safety standards and could possibly be considered defective. Results of testing showed that not only did the chair not lock in place, as required by the safety regulations for this type of product, it also had a tendency to fold and collapse if a child under 30 pounds sat in it. Considering that the theme for the chair was Sesame Street, and most parents would use it for children under the age of three, this meant there were serious design flaws that could also cause horrible injuries.

These findings lend strength to the lawsuit filed by this Pennsylvania family. They claim in the suit that the chair was defectively designed and/or manufactured by this company, making it dangerous when used the way it was intended. This claim, if proven in court, could make the manufacturer responsible for the injuries suffered by this child. Now, the court will decide if this company should be held liable for what happened to this child.

Considering the popularity of Sesame Street, and the danger involved in using these chairs, other children may have been injured by this product. This is why, whenever a product causes a serious injury to a child, it’s important to contact an attorney right away. A personal injury attorney can help you hold companies responsible for the pain and suffering caused by their negligence. Don’t let a corporation get away with hurting your family.

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