Massive Recall by IKEA of Popular Malm Line of Furniture

In a recall spanning a line of products sold over the course of the last 13 years, IKEA has issued a recall notice for its Malm line of dressers and chests of drawers. The recall, issued through the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), warns those with pieces of the Malm furniture that there is a risk that the furniture items can tip over if not anchored securely to the wall. The furniture had long been sold without anchoring hardware. The CPSC and the popular Swedish furniture manufacturer are issuing the recall after having received a number of reports of the furniture tipping over, including reports of the deaths of two young children who were killed by the furniture in 2014. Since 1989, IKEA has received 14 reports of pieces of Malm furniture tipping over, which include four reports of injury, and three additional reports of individuals receiving fatal injuries. The recall includes the Malm line of dressers and chests of drawers sold since 2002, as well as any other IKEA chests and dressers intended for children’s rooms that are taller than 23 ½ inches, or chests and dressers not intended as children’s furniture that are taller than 29 ½ inches. If you own furniture subject to the recall, call IKEA’s toll-free hotline to receive a free wall anchoring kit in the mail, which you should use as soon as possible to anchor the furniture to the wall.

Injuries from furniture tip-overs most commonly occur to children who are playing on or near the furniture, who are small enough to be trapped under or seriously injured by the falling object. Tip-over injuries and deaths are believed to be highly under-reported, due to the fact that the children were typically unsupervised when the injury occurred. Since the injuries are under-reported, many parents don’t understand the potential dangers of un-anchored or cheaply manufactured furniture. International ASTM furniture safety standards advise manufacturers to ensure that their products can withstand at least 50 pounds of force being exerted on an extended drawer without tipping over. However, meeting these standards is not mandatory for furniture manufacturers, resulting in furniture that can be unstable or fails to include anchoring kits. However, while compliance with ASTM guidelines may not be legally required, manufacturers do have a duty not to sell items that they know or should know could cause injury or death to the consumers buying those products. Purchasers who are injured by these products may have a legal claim for compensation for such injuries.

If you or a loved one have been hurt by furniture that was negligently designed or manufactured, contact a Mississippi attorney who understands the technically complex field of product liability and can zealously represent you in court. Biloxi attorney Corban Gunn is an experienced personal injury attorney who will fight to ensure that you’re compensated for your loss. For a free consultation on your potential product liability or personal injury lawsuit, call 228.284.6805.