From time to time, we get called concerning children who have been injured by falling furniture. A case recently that made it to the Minnesota Court of Appeals which found that parents were responsible for protecting their children when they were with their children at the time of an injury from a falling bookcase at a neighbors house. There may be more said about that case in the future, but for now parents need to always be vigilant.
The Minneapolis Tribune provided a number of great tips to prevent injuries:
• Put TVs on stands that are low to the ground. Consider attaching them to the wall with safety straps or even Velcro.
• Avoid putting tempting items, such as toys, on top of furniture. Kids might try to climb up to retrieve them.
• When buying new furniture, select pieces with wide legs or solid bases.
• Install drawer stops that prevent drawers from pulling all the way out and falling on little toes.
• Put heavy items on shelves lower to the ground to prevent tipping.
Each parent or adult who has children around should review this list and make sure each child is safe.
A founding partner with Bradshaw & Bryant, Mike Bryant has always fought to find justice for his clients—knowing that legal troubles, both personal injury and criminal, can be devastating for a family. Voted a Top 40 Personal Injury "Super Lawyer" multiple years, Mr. Bryant has also been voted one of the Top 100 Minnesota "Super Lawyers" four times.
2 Comments
Daniel 8791
Those are some good safety reminders for parents when looking at their furniture/layout. I remember a sad story from about a year or two ago where a young Twin Cities child was killed by a television that fell from only 2 or 3 feet on to them. This is a concern that all persons (parents, sitters & other relatives)need to look at more closely when they're in charge of watching young children.
Mike Bryant
It's amazing how easy stuff that is heavy and up high can fall. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.
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