Kind of grabs your attention doesn’t it? $46 Million! And just about every newspaper, radio, and internet media channel made sure to highlight that big number. January 6, 2020 was the day the announcement went out and within days the news was everywhere. The Swedish furniture retailer agreed to pay $46 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit.
Ikea was now front and center in every media outlet because a product they made was once again linked to the cause of death of a child. This product has been linked to the death of at least 5 children since 2011.
When it first came to light that Ikea’s 70 pound Malm branded dresser was tipping over and causing injuries and death, the company offered free wall-anchoring kits to its millions of customers as part of a repair program. It was more like a gesture to help repair their tarnished publicity that didn’t go as well as they anticipated, as Ikea then issued a recall of the dressers in 2016.
Unfortunately for the Dudek family, their 2-year-old son suffered life threatening injuries when the Malm dresser tipped over and crushed him. Mr. and Mrs. Dudek sued Ikea in 2017 in Pennsylvania State Court where Ikea’s North American headquarters is located. The Dudek’s lawyer argued that the furniture maker knew that its Malm line of dressers was prone to tip-overs and the manufacturer failed to warn customers of the unstable design.
Ikea issued this statement, “While no settlement can alter the tragic events that brought us here, for the sake of the family and all involved, we’re grateful that this litigation has reached a resolution, we remain committed to working proactively and collaboratively to address this very important home safety issue. Again, we offer our deepest condolences.”
So why do I this share this information?
Hi, I’m Indiana Personal Injury Attorney David Holub and my goal is to be a crusader for justice and a protector of children everywhere. Tip-over accidents injure or kill thousands of children per year. These accidents are caused by TVs, dressers, appliances and even art pieces, which these accidents could have been prevented.
In Chapter 5 (titled “Unreasonably Dangerous”) of my book “Fighting For Truth: A Trial Lawyer’s Insight Into What It Takes To Win”, I talk about a case I handled long ago regarding a large cathode-ray television that accidentally tipped over and crushed a toddler. Though at the time we took this case the law was against us, and it was unlikely that we would prevail, our entire litigation team felt that the case simply had to be pursued. We argued that the television manufacturer’s product was unreasonably dangerous and unfit for its intended purposes. While the case ultimately was resolved via a confidential settlement, it was the first reported television tip-over case in the country to survive a summary judgment motion. This is the type of motion where judges usually decide against a plaintiff and use to dismiss a case and toss the claim out of court.
The Law Offices of David W. Holub, P.C., strive to represent each client aggressively and to obtain prompt and favorable results. We not only aggressively pursue our client’s best interests, but we remain accessible and attentive to our client’s needs.
If you or a loved one has been injured by the negligence of another or by a defective product, pick up the phone and call us today at (219) 736-9700. We will let you know if your case has merit and how to proceed with your claim. We can’t guarantee you a $46 million settlement, no law firm can, but we can give you the representation you deserve to get results based on our experience.
The Law Offices of David W. Holub is a personal injury law firm located in Merrillville, Indiana, focused on providing efficient and effective client-centered representation. Our mission is to provide top quality legal representation, which includes an uncompromising pursuit of our client’s legal interests, while being accessible and attentive to our clients during times of personal challenge.
The firm concentrates in personal injury cases of all types, medical malpractice, and wrongful death litigation. We work tirelessly to serve each client aggressively and with empathy, to communicate regularly and clearly, and to obtain prompt and favorable results, while adhering to the highest standards of excellence and integrity. Our team considers it a high honor to be called upon to serve our clients whom we often come to regard as our friends.
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