Four Things You Should Know about the Massive IKEA Dresser Recall

Retail giant IKEA has recalled 29 million of its MALM dressers in what officials say has been one of the most comprehensive consumer safety recalls in American history. It also is likely to be one of the more complex products sold over a two-decade span covering remedies ranging from refunds to in-home repairs. If you own one of these dressers, you may have a number of questions or be confused about the next step you need to take. Here are four things you need to know and do in order to keep your family safe from this dangerous piece of furniture.

Which Dressers are Being Recalled and Why?

The recall affects children’s chests and dressers taller than 23.5 inches and adult chests and dressers taller than 29.5 inches that do not meet the performance requirements of the U.S. voluntary industry standard. The recalled MALM chests and dressers were manufactured and sold through June 2016 and include the chests with three, four, five and six drawers. The dressers IKEA is recalling can be unstable and prone to tipping over if they are not properly anchored to the wall. Since 1989, several small children have died after being crushed by dresser tip-overs. In addition to these fatalities, IKEA has also received 41 additional reports of tip-overs, which is resulted in 17 children between the ages of 19 months and 10 years getting injured.

What Should You Do if You Own One of These Dressers?

If you own one of these dressers, but have it properly secured to the wall, there’s no problem. But if that’s not the case, here are some things you can do:

• Call IKEA and ask for a wall-anchoring repair kit, which they should mail to you at no cost. Follow the directions to securely attach your dresser to the wall.
• If you don’t want to do that, you can ask IKEA for a full refund. IKEA has said they will provide customers with a full refund if the chest or dresser was manufactured between Jan.1, 2002 and June 28, 2016. They will give you a store credit for 50 percent of the original price if the product was manufactured before January 2002 or a $50 store credit if the date stamp is not identifiable.

How Do You Know Your Dresser Has Been Recalled

The recall includes more than 100 IKEA product lines many made up of multiple size of dressers. You can look at a full list of recalled products at www.ikea-usa.com/recallchestsanddressers. About 8 million out of the 29 million affected products are from the company’s MALM line, which has been linked to three fatalities since 2014. It’s also important to remember that the recall is not just limited to the products listed online. For more information, call IKEA at 1-866-856-4532. Even if your dresser has not been recalled, anchor it to a wall.

What if You Bought the Product Used or Second-Hand?

If you purchased the dresser used, second-hand or from a thrift store, you can still pursue any of the remedies that are available to someone who bought directly from IKEA. You will be able to receive a free wall anchor or help with installation. You could also be refunded for the amount you spent on the dresser.

If you or a loved one has been injured by these dangerous and defective products, please contact an experienced product defect lawyer to obtain more information about pursuing your legal rights.