IKEA Recalls Two Million Bed Canopies for Strangulation Hazards

Retailer IKEA is recalling more than 2 million children’s bed canopied because of concerns over strangulation risks.

According to a report in the Peabody Patch, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says infants and young children can get entangled at the neck in the fabric of these canopies posing a serious strangulation hazard.

So far, there have been nine reports worldwide of children getting entangled in the canopies including one in the United States where a 7-month-old girl pulled the canopy’s fabric into her crib and wrapped it around her neck several times.

About 2.6 million of these products have been sold worldwide, 255,000 of those in the United States.

The canopies are reportedly made from a mesh fabric and hang from the ceiling on to a child’s bed or crib. They measure about 7 feet in length and 2 feet in diameter.

There were sold at IKEA stores nationwide from August 1996 through March 2014 for between $10 and $30.

Injury and Deaths Involving Children’s Products

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in 2012, there were 77,900 emergency department-treated injuries associated with nursery products  among children younger than 5.

Cribs, mattresses, high chairs, infant carriers, car seats and strollers were associated with about 67 percent of the injuries.

Also, CPSC found that falls were the leading cause of the injury and the head, followed by the face, were the body parts most frequently injured.

For the three-year period between 2008 and 2010, CPSC staff has reports of 333 deaths, an annual average of 111 deaths associated with nursery products among children 5 years old or younger.

Product Liability Issues

When defectively designed or manufactured products cause serious injuries or fatalities, the product manufacturers can be held financially liable for the injuries, damages and losses.

Injured victims can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization, permanent injuries, pain and suffering and emotional distress.

Families of deceased victims can seek compensation as well by filing a wrongful death claim. Victims or families in such cases would be well advised to contact an experienced product defect lawyer who will fight for their rights and ensure that the negligent parties are held accountable.

The best product liability attorney will always offer a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation to injured victims and their families.