Lowes Joins Recall of Roman Shades and Roll-Up Blinds
Lowes announced it is joining a long list of retailers who are part of a massive recall of roman shades and roll-up blinds. It is surprising that these shades continue to be manufactured because of the near strangulation incidents related to their defective design. The recall covers about six million Roman shades and five million roll-up blinds.
The defective design of these window treatments poses a serious strangulation risk for children. The danger of strangulation from the window coverings is so significant that Lowes has decided not to sell ANY brand of roman shades or roll-up blinds.
These window treatments have been subject to multiple recalls since December 2009. You should examine any window treatments in your home and consider whether to discontinue use of roman shades or roll-up blinds immediately. You should also verify that there are no accessible cords on the front, side, or back of the product. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends the use of cordless window coverings in all homes where children live or visit. If you take the window treatments back to Lowes, you should be able to return the product for a refund, store credit or repair kit. The experienced attorneys at Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, have been handling product liability cases involving products that have a defective design for over a quarter of a century.
The decision by Lowes to recall the blinds follows reports of two separate choking incidents involving small children who became entangled in the exposed cord found on the backside of Roman shades, while attempting to see out of a window. These window coverings have resulted in multiple near strangulation incidents involving toddlers. A 2-year-old boy was discovered with the inner cord wrapped around his arm and neck. In a separate incident, a 4-year-old boy received a rope burn to his neck when he found himself entangled in the cord of a Roman shade.
Recalls of dangerous products like these window coverings fall generally within the area of law referred to as product liability law. Product liability law provides the legal framework for liability of manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers for injuries caused by dangerous or defective products. The objective of product liability laws is to help protect the unsuspecting public from dangerous products while holding manufacturers, distributors, and retailers responsible for products they knew or should have known were dangerous or defective. The risk of entanglement and strangulation for small children from these window coverings is now a risk that is well established resulting in massive vendors joining the recall of this dangerous product.
If you or someone you love is injured by a defective product, you should call Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, who will provide the best legal advice they can regarding your legal rights, options and remedies. If you or someone you love has been seriously injured or killed by a defective product, Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, can help. Our Georgia products liability lawyers are available to assist clients throughout all of Georgia, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. Call us today for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333), or visit us on the web at www.montlick.com. No matter where you are in Georgia, we are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you.