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Simplicity Crib - Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Below is the CPSC notice regarding the Simplicity crib recall. Infant deaths have been associated with a design/manufacturing flaw in some Simplicity cribs. A Simplicity crib lawsuit could include a claim for injuries, including traumatic brain injury, or a wrongful death claim.
Pritzker | Ruohonen, a premier product liability law firm, is reprinting the CPSC recall as a public service. The firm is recognized nationally in the area of product liability, and attorneys at the firm have been interviewed by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Lawyers USA, and other publications. To contact Pritzker | Ruohonen for a free consultation, call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s online-consultation form for review by an attorney.
About 1 Million Simplicity Cribs Recalled Due To Failures Resulting in Infant Deaths
September 21, 2007 - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is announcing today a voluntary recall with Simplicity Inc., of Reading, Pa., of about 1 million cribs. The drop-side can detach from the crib, which can create a dangerous gap and lead to the entrapment and suffocation of infants. CPSC is aware of two deaths in Simplicity manufactured cribs with older style hardware, including a 9-month-old child and a 6-month-old child, where the drop-side was installed upside down.CPSC is also aware of seven infant entrapments and 55 incidents in these cribs.
[Note from Pritzker | Ruohonen: According to a story in the Chicago Tribune, Simplicity did not recall the cribs until years after the first death associated with a Simplicity crib when the Tribune started asking questions about the 3 deaths and 55 other incidents associated with Simplicity cribs. If true, this is unconscionable. If true, Simplicity put profit over the lives of innocent babies.]
CPSC is also investigating the death of a 1-year-old child in a Simplicity crib with newer style hardware, in which the drop-side was installed upside down. CPSC is warning parents and caregivers to check all Simplicity cribs to make sure the drop-side is installed right side up.
The drop-side failures result from both the hardware and crib design, which allow consumers to unintentionally install the drop-side upside down. This, in turn, can weaken the hardware and cause the drop-side to detach from the crib. When the drop-side detaches, it creates a gap in which infants can become entrapped.
CPSC is also aware of two incidents that occurred when the drop-side was correctly installed with older style hardware, though the upside down installation greatly increases the risk of failure.
The recalled Simplicity crib models include: Aspen 3 in 1, Aspen 4 in 1, Nursery-in-a-Box, Crib N Changer Combo, Chelsea and Pooh 4 in 1. The recall also involves the following Simplicity cribs that used the Graco logo: Aspen 3 in 1, Ultra 3 in 1, Ultra 4 in1, Ultra 5 in 1, Whitney and the Trio.
The recalled cribs have one of the following model numbers, which can be found on the envelope attached to the mattress support and on the label attached to the headboard: 4600, 4605, 4705, 5000, 8000, 8324, 8800, 8740, 8910, 8994, 8050, 8750, 8760, and 8996.
The cribs, which were made in China, were sold in department stores, children’s stores and mass merchandisers nationwide from January 1998 through May 2007 for between $100 and $300.
As an immediate precaution, consumers should check to see if the drop-side is installed right side up. To do this, check to see that the slightly rounded rail with the decorative groove is installed at the top and the plain rail is on the bottom. Next, consumers should make sure the drop-side is securely attached to the tracks in all four corners.
If the drop-side is installed upside down or not securely attached, consumers should stop using the crib immediately. Incorrect installation can cause permanent damage to the hardware and re-installing the drop-side using the same hardware is unsafe.
Consumers should check to see if their crib contains the recalled hardware. Recalled hardware has a flexible tab at the bottom of the lower tracks and the top of the lower tracks are open. Newer hardware, which is not subject to the recall, has the flexible tab located at the top of the lower track, and a permanent stop at the bottom.
[Note from Pritzker | Ruohonen: for more information, photos, and a video, please see the CPSC announcement regarding the Simplicity crib recall.]
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Yamaha Rhino Lawsuit
NBC affiliate KSBY interviewed Fred Pritzker regarding Yamaha Rhino rollovers. There has not been a Yamaha Rhino recall.
Rich Ruohonen Interviewed by Lawyers USA
Attorney Rich Ruohenon was interviewed by Lawyers USA for an article on lawnmower accident lawsuits involving defective lawnmowers.
Fred Pritzker Listed in The Best Lawyers in America
Fred Pritzker has been notified that he will again be listed in The Best Lawyers in America for his work in personal injury and wrongful death litigation.
Pain and Suffering
Rich Ruohonen recently chaired a legal seminar on obtaining compensation for pain and suffering in a personal injury case. Rich uses his knowledge, experience, and reputation to maximize recoveries for clients.
Attorney Rich Ruohonen Has Article Published
Rich Ruohonen has written a ground-breaking article on traumatic brain injury entitled "Debunking the Top 10 Myths of Traumatic Brain Injury: Effective Cross Examination of the Defense Neuropsychologist."
Traumatic Brain Injury
Pritzker | Ruohonen attorneys Fred Pritzker, Rich Ruohonen and Elliot Olsen spoke at the annual Minnesota Association for Justice Brain Injury Seminar. They represent brain injury survivors in product liability cases throughout the nation.
