Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a series of vertical blind and window shade recalls after the death of three children and near-strangulation injuries of several others.

The recalls include horizontal and vertical blinds and cellular shades made by Vertical Land Inc. of Panama City Beach, Florida. Approximately 15,400 horizontal blinds manufactured by Vertical Land were found to lack inner cord stop devices that prevent the inner cords from forming an exterior loop in which children can become entangled and suffocate. About 16,400 vertical blinds and 800 cellular shades featuring freely hanging loop chains and cords that pose a similar risk to children have also been recalled.

The CPSC reported one incident in which a 4-year-old girl from Pensacola was strangled after becoming entangled in the loop of a vertical blind.

The blinds were sold in Vertical Land stores in Panama City and Pensacola, Florida from 1992 to 2006. Consumers may contact Vertical Land at (800) 423-8653 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday.

Lutron Electronics Co. Inc. of Coopersbrg, Pennsylvania is recalling about 245,000 custom-ordered and professionally installed Roller Shades whose looped bead chains become a strangulation risk when not properly secured to the wall or floor. The shades were sold at specialty dealers and Expo Design Centers nationwide from January 2000 through April 2009. Customers who own one or more of the recalled blinds should contact Lutron at (866) 793-4270 anytime, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.lutron.com/cordedshades

Victoria Classics of Edison, New Jersey recalled about 163,000 Thermal Sailcloth and Matchstick Bamboo Roman Shades. The recalled units have an exposed cord on their window-facing sides – a design defect that poses a strangulation risk to young children who. According to the CPSC, the shades were sold in Target stores nationwide and online through Target.com from September 2008 to June 2009. Consumers who believe they own one or more of the recalled units should contact Victoria Classics toll-free at (800) 583-9845 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET daily or visit the firm’s Web site at www.victoriaclassics.com.

Pottery Barn Kids / Williams-Sonoma, Inc. of San Francisco, California, is recalling about 85,000 Roman shades because of strangulation hazards. The CPSC said there have been six reports of children becoming entangled in the exposed inner cords on the back of the shades. Two of the incidents required the use of scissors to free the children. The children received minor injuries.

The shades were sold through Pottery Barn Kids catalog and website from January 2003 through May 2007 and cost from $30 to $60. Consumers who own one or more of the shades should contact the manufacturer anytime for more information toll-free at (800) 492-1949 or visit the company’s Web site at www.potterybarnkids.com.

One near strangulation of a 2-year-old by found hanging from a looped bead chain prompted IKEA Home Furnishings of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania to recall approximately 120,000 MELINA Roman blinds, which were sold in IKEA stores nationwide from August 2006 through June 2008 for between $20 and $40. All consumers who suspect they may own one of the recalled blinds should call IKEA toll-free at (888) 966-4532 anytime or visit the firm’s Web site at www.ikea-usa.com. Consumers who do have one or more of the recalled products should immediately stop using them and return them to any IKEA store for a full refund.

Lewis Hyman Inc. of Carson, California is recalling about 4.2 million roll-up blinds and 600,000 Roman shades. According to the CPSC, the ¼” Oval Roll-up Blinds pose a strangulation risk because children can become entangled in the lifting loops if they should slide off the blinds. The Woolrich Roman Shades have an exposed inner loop on their window-facing sides, in which young children can easily become entangled.

According to the CPSC, the blinds were responsible for the deaths of a one-year-old boy from Maine who became entangled in the lift cord loop after it fell into his portable crib. A 23-month old Arkansas boy also died after his head and neck became entangled in the exposed inner cord of a Roman shade.

For additional information, contact Lewis Hyman toll-free at (877) 354-5457 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT daily, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.lewishymaninc.com.

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 27th, 2009 at 7:41 am and is filed under product liability, recalled products, safety. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.