Ikea Settles After Tragic Toddler Death
The biggest retailer of furniture across the globe, Ikea, has since announced its plans to settle with the family of Jozef Dudek for $46 million. Jozef was just a two-year-old when he was killed by a three-drawer Malm dresser that tipped over on him and suffocated him. He succumbed to his injuries and life has not been the same for his loved ones ever since.
What Happened to Jozef?
Joleen Dudek, the mother of Jozef, cannot help but think about Jozef’s upcoming birthday and how he would have finally turned five, an age where most children are getting ready to start kindergarten. Instead, his parents will never have those memories to share with Dudek because his life was taken too soon due to a faulty, unstable dresser.
When the dresser fell on Jozef Dudek, his parents could not believe what happened. They were in shock and were surprised that such a small boy would have the strength to cause such a heavy piece of furniture to fall over.
They soon learned that they were not the only parents to suffer the same horrific fate. It was brought to their attention that other children had passed away due to accidents involving the same dresser, which led the parents to file a wrongful death lawsuit with help from attorneys that have experience dealing with product liability issues.
Because at least nine other children have died from incidents with dressers from Ikea, the company decided to recall a total of 17.3 million dressers that were supplied worldwide. Despite the recall, these dressers are still used in many households to this day. The recall was announced before the death of Jozef. He is the first child to pass away from an incident with the dresser after the recall.
Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed
The parents of Jozef Dudek filed their lawsuit because they did not know the recall existed. They were never informed of the recall. They believe they should have received something in the mail or a call that would let them know that the item they purchased was not safe to continue using. Since they paid for the dresser with a credit card, the parents’ information was on file, and that means Ikea could have made the call to warn them of the potential hazards and to make them aware of the recall. The company failed to do that.
The parents believe if there was more information about the recall and it was widely promoted, they would have known and could have gotten rid of the piece of furniture. A lawyer for the family, Dan Mann, says that companies need to take proper steps to let the consumers know of recalls when they are aware of defective products. In this case, it is believed that Ikea did not do enough to warn parents of the dangers associated with the dressers that were sold in stores and online, such as the Malm.
When products are defective and people experience injuries or death because of those defects, it is only right to file a lawsuit on behalf of product liability and personal injury. Ikea must now take responsibility for selling a defective product that has harmed many children over the past several years.
Contact a Chatham Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Product Liability Case in New Jersey
Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to product liability in New Jersey? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Blume Forte Fried Zerres & Molinari represent clients injured because of product liability in Chatham, Jersey City, North Bergen, Sea Girt, and throughout New Jersey. Call 973-845-4421 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at One Main Street in Chatham, NJ 07928 as well as offices in Jersey City, Sea Girt, and North Bergen.
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