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The Product Liability Landscape for Furniture Users, Manufacturers and Sellers

By Melissa R. Stull and George W. Soule
December 31, 2015

Homes are full of products, i.e., furniture, that have been the subject of litigation, the focus of standards and the target of Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) investigations. The focus on furniture safety and liability present special challenges for manufacturers and sellers.

Typical Claims in Furniture Product Liability Cases

Nationwide, over the last 10 years, the most frequent accident scenario in reported product liability cases involving furniture concerned a chair breaking when the plaintiff sat down. In those cases, plaintiffs alleged that the chair was structurally unsound, contained a manufacturing defect, or was not assembled properly. Several such accidents occurred on the retailer's show floor. Other cases involved furniture that tipped on users when pulled or opened; glass in furniture that broke; furniture upholstery or stuffing that ignited; furniture that was coated with toxic material; furniture that collapsed when leaned on; and furniture casters that rolled on a user's foot.

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