Posted by Salvatore J, Zambri, founding member and partner.
On June 28, 2016, Ikea and the CPSC ( US Consumer Product Safety Commission) announced a voluntary recall of all models of MALM and other tall dressers due to tip-over dangers. Ikea has agreed to immediately stop selling the dressers and offer refunds to customers. The recent death of a twenty-two month old child prompted the new recall. Numerous accidents that did not result in deaths were also reported.
In 2015, after tip-over accidents caused the deaths of two children, Ikea launched a free wall-mounting kit program for consumers. However, the 2016 death caused Ikea to relent to pressure from safety advocates to do something more than offer an anchoring kit and issue the recall. The current recall of over 29 million dressers allows consumers to either request the free wall anchoring kit or opt for a full refund for furniture purchased after 2002 or partial store credit for older furniture.
According to the CPSC chairman, “If you have or think you have one of these products, act immediately. It is simply too dangerous to have the recalled furniture in your home unanchored, especially if you have young children.”
The current safety standards to make dressers more stable are voluntary, but some lawmakers are pressing for legislation to force dresser manufactureres to meet a mandatory stability standard.
You can contact IKEA at 1-866-856-4532 or email: [email protected] to discuss how to participate in the recall.
Do you have any questions about this post? If so, please email Mr. Zambri: [email protected].
About the author:
Mr. Zambri is a board-certified civil trial attorney by the National Board of Trial Advocates and a Past-President of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. The association recently named him “Trial Lawyer of the Year”. Super Lawyers recently named him among the “Top Ten” lawyers in the Metro Area (out of more than 80,000 attorneys) (2014 and 2015). He has been rated by Washingtonian magazine as a “Big Gun” and among the “top 100″ lawyers in the entire metropolitan area. The magazine also describes him as “one of Washington’s best – most honest and effective lawyers” who specializes in personal injury matters, including automobile accident claims, premises liability, product liability, medical malpractice, and work-accident claims. He has successfully litigated multiple cases against truck and bus companies, the Washington Metropolitan Area transit Authority, and other automobile owners. His law firm, in fact, has obtained the largest settlement ever in a personal injury case involving WMATA. Mr. Zambri has also been acknowledged as one of “The Best Lawyers in America” by Best Lawyers (2016 edition) and has been repeatedly named a “Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyer magazine – national publications that honor the top lawyers in America.