Tree Lounge Treestand Lawsuit | 2026 Latest Updates

Tree Lounge levelers were recalled in 2004 because the leveler tube can crack. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the maker, CESSO LLC, announced the recall of about 15,000 levelers. CESSO told CPSC in the recall notice that it had received three reports of consumer injury associated with leveler failure. As of October 2026, no federal Tree Lounge lawsuit, class action or MDL is pending. One individual injury case, Bledsoe v. Cesso LLC, was filed in January 2007 and ended with a settlement in 2009.

Latest Tree Lounge Treestand Lawsuit Updates

June 9, 2009: Court Dismisses Bledsoe Case After Settlement

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas dismissed Bledsoe v. Cesso LLC, No. 2:07-cv-00016, with prejudice pursuant to settlement [1]. That order ended a case open since January 2007. The settlement terms and any amount paid by CESSO are not published.

January 26, 2007: Individual Injury Case Opens Against CESSO LLC

Bledsoe v. Cesso LLC opened in the Eastern District of Arkansas as a personal injury case against CESSO LLC d/b/a Tree Lounge. The docket lists the nature of suit as “P.I.: Other.”

May 18, 2004: CPSC and CESSO Announce Tree Stand Leveler Recall

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and CESSO, LLC announced recall 04-137 of about 15,000 “Tree Lounge” Tree Stand Levelers [2]. The leveler tube can crack under significant impact from heavy loads. The notice names CESSO, LLC, of Cumming, Georgia, as the manufacturer. It lists the product as levelers designed for use with the Tree Lounge tree stand.

Who May Be Affected?

The 2004 recall covered people who bought a “Tree Lounge” Tree Stand Leveler. It was sold at the firm’s website, in its mail-order catalogue and at outdoor specialty stores. Sales ran from January 2001 through December 2003, for about $70. Hunters who used a Tree Lounge stand and fell may also fit. The CPSC treestand publication says many falls start when hunters step onto or off the platform [3]. A legal review looks at each person’s own facts.

Reported Injuries or Damages

The three injury reports in the 2004 recall notice come from CESSO. They are a company report to the regulator and are not a court finding. In Bledsoe v. Cesso LLC, the plaintiff’s injury and the product involved are not published. The recall notice gives no other injury count for Tree Lounge. The same CPSC publication states that from 2005 through 2007, 41 treestand-related deaths were reported to CPSC. CPSC staff estimated about 19,000 treestand-related injuries in that period. These are national figures, not Tree Lounge numbers. A June 14, 2004 CPSC staff briefing package covered a petition about hunting tree stands. Staff counted 137 incidents involving tree stands from 1980 through 2001 [4]. They included 62 deaths and 55 injuries. Staff also estimated that 6,000 injuries attributed to tree stand use were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms in 2001. Hunters whose stand came from another maker can read about that brand on our separate Rivers Edge treestand lawsuit page.

Recall and Regulatory Background

CPSC recall notice 04-137 says that if the leveler is installed beneath the stand, bolts can bend or pull through, causing users to lose balance and fall. Consumers were told to return their levelers to the firm for a free repair. A recall does not by itself show that a product caused an injury or that anyone is liable.

Evidence to Preserve

If you were hurt on a Tree Lounge stand, keep the following items:

• The stand and the leveler themselves, kept unaltered and not repaired, replaced or discarded.
• The model name, any serial number or labels, and the manual or packaging.
• Purchase records such as the receipt, order confirmation or catalogue order, and the seller.
• Photographs of the stand, the leveler, the tree and the place of the fall.
• The harness and any other gear you wore at the time of the fall.
• Medical records and bills for treatment after the fall.
• Names and contact details of witnesses and hunting partners who saw the fall.
• Messages with the seller or maker, including any recall repair request.

Filing Deadlines

State law sets the deadlines to file a legal claim over a treestand injury. Each deadline depends on where you live and when the fall and the injury happened. Even with strong facts, a missed deadline can end a claim. Check with a lawyer promptly if you are considering one.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Tell If My Tree Lounge Leveler Was Recalled?

To tell if your Tree Lounge leveler was recalled, check it against the notice. The recalled leveler is powder-coated green. Its T handle screw spreads or contracts two tubes to level the stand as the tree diameter changes.

Has Anyone Sued Tree Lounge over a Treestand Injury?

Someone has sued Tree Lounge over an injury. The case, filed in the Eastern District of Arkansas, went before Judge Brian S. Miller, and no court opinion about a Tree Lounge treestand is published.

What Harness Does CPSC Advise Hunters to Use?

CPSC advises hunters to always use a Treestand Manufacturers’ Association approved full-body harness, following the manufacturer’s instructions. It warns that a single-strap or waist-type harness can cause strangulation in a fall, and it advises wearing the harness during ascent and descent.

What Does the Research Say About Treestand Falls?

Research on treestand falls includes CPSC staff’s 2004 briefing on hunting tree stands. It reports that 54 of 137 incidents mention tree stand failures, with six deaths and 40 injuries.

References

1. https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5350452/48/bledsoe-v-cesso-llc/
2. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2004/cpsc-and-cesso-llc-announce-recall-of-tree-stand-components
3. https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/pdfs/blk_pdf_5200.pdf
4. https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/Briefing_Package-Petition_CP_02-3;_Hunting_Tree_Stand_Petition-06.14.2004.pdf