What's the Problem?
This recall affects 4-drawer chests with plastic drawer glides sold by Transform under the Essential Home brand and identified as the “Belmont 2.0” model, according to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) [1].
Affected chests measure about 29.8 inches in height and 27.7 inches in width, and were sold in black, pine, walnut, and white. The manufacturer’s name, “Kappesberg Moveis,” and model number “F214” can be found on the instruction manual that came with the chests.
The recalled dressers were sold exclusively at Kmart stores nationwide and online at Kmart.com from March 2018 through April 2020 for about $60.
If you purchased a dresser that is affected by this recall, you should stop using it immediately unless it is securely anchored to a wall and out of the reach of children. For chests purchased on or after Feb. 11, 2019, contact Transform to receive a free anchoring kit and a free in-home installation. For chests purchased before Feb. 11, 2019, contact Transform to receive a free anchoring kit.
This recall began on August 11, 2020.
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The Dangers of Dresser Tip-Overs
Every 17 minutes in the U.S., someone is injured by a piece of falling furniture, according to the CPSC. The most common type of falling furniture is a dresser tip-over.
Over the past 2 decades, over 200 children have been killed by a tipped-over dresser. When a dresser’s drawers are open, the center of gravity shifts far forward. It only takes a small amount of weight, such as that of a young child, to cause a deadly tip-over.
Unfortunately, there are currently no standards regarding the design or manufacture of dressers. The industry operates on a “self-regulation” standard, under which manufacturers publish recommended manufacturing guidelines.
These guidelines apply to all dressers at least 27 inches tall, and state that a dresser should be able to resist a downward force of at least 50 pounds on any individual drawer. This is intended to simulate the weight of a child hanging from the drawer.
However, manufacturers are not obliged to produce dressers that meet these standards. A Consumer Reports test found that 20% of new dressers fail to meet the industry’s own standards for stability. As a result, millions of poorly designed and dangerous dressers sit in households across the U.S.
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Do I Have an Essential Home 4-Drawer Dresser Lawsuit?
The Products Liability Litigation Group at Schmidt & Clark, LLP law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Essential Home 4-Drawer Dresser Lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new injury and death cases in all 50 states.
If your child or other loved one was harmed by a recalled dresser, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to a settlement by filing a suit and we can help.