Attorney
Do you have a large entertainment center in your living room? What most people do not realize is that televisions and the large pieces of furniture that hold them can cause serious and fatal injuries when they tip and fall over. Earlier this year, an 11-month-old baby died when his older brother accidentally bumped into the furniture holding the television. The television tipped over and fell on the infant, killing him.
Accidents like this prompted the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to issue a warning about the dangers of un-anchored televisions and furniture. Between 2000 and 2010, the CPSC received reports of 245 tip-over deaths involving children under eight years old. Sixty-seven percent of the tip-over deaths occurred from head injuries, according to the CPSC.
A CPSC spokesperson said that children like to climb on things like furniture. If the furniture and television are unstable, it can be fatal. The CPSC recommends parents to do the following:
- Anchor furniture to the wall or floor
- Place televisions on sturdy, low bases
- Push the television as far back on the furniture as possible
- Keep cords out of the way and out of the child’s reach
With all the emphasis on large, hi-tech televisions, have you taken the proper precautions to prevent your television from tipping?
Koonz, McKenney, Johnson & DePaolis L.L.P.
Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia Injury Attorneys