As Online Furniture Sales Increase, New Hampshire May See a Rise in Product Liability Cases

June 5, 2020

As the COVID-19 Pandemic continues to affect individuals across the country, more and more New Hampshire residents are working from, and spending more time in, their homes. For many, this has prompted an increase in purchasing new furniture online—a new desk for working from home, a comfortable sofa for nights in, or a new mattress for a family member who’s moved in. In fact, NBC news recently reported that Wayfair, an online furniture marketplace, has had massive spikes in their revenue and active customers since early March of this year. While new furniture can be helpful or beneficial for many families, improperly designed furniture can be dangerous and can even cause serious injuries. While these injuries can be devastating and unexpected, New Hampshire law does protect consumers by allowing those injured by improperly designed or defective furniture to recover in a product liability lawsuit.

For example, last month the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission published information on a recall of dressers and cabinets that were sold in the United States and Canada. The recalled dressers and cabinets were found to be unstable and could tip over if not anchored to the wall, which poses a serious threat to children who may unintentionally cause them to tip over. According to the recall, the hazard could cause serious injuries or even death. About 2,700 units were sold, and consumers who purchased the unit are entitled to a full refund.

The above example is just one of many recalls that occur each year on cabinets, refrigerators, dressers, couches, desks, and more. Typically, these recalls offer refunds to those who purchased the unit. However, if someone has already been injured due to the product’s defect or design, the refund may not be enough to cover their medical bills and expenses. Alternatively, sometimes a consumer may be injured by a product that has not yet been recalled. In these situations, injured consumers may consider filing a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer and/or the seller of the item. If successful, these suits can lead to monetary compensation to cover the injured victim’s past and future medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

If you or a family member has recently been injured by a piece of furniture breaking, toppling, or otherwise not working properly, you may be entitled to financial compensation from the manufacturer or seller of that furniture. Contact the New Hampshire product liability attorneys at Peter Thompson & Associates to learn more about how we can help you recover what you deserve from the negligent companies who caused your accident. With years of experience representing New Hampshire residents in product liability cases, we are familiar with the ins and outs of state personal injury law and can assure you excellent client representation. We also handle other injury cases, including New Hampshire car accidents and slip and fall cases. To learn more, call us at 1-800-804-2004, or fill out our online form, to schedule a free initial consultation with one of our attorneys. Calling is risk-free, so call today!