Portable bed handles recalled after three deaths. Possible lawsuit may be in the works.
Handles designed to help adults get in and out of bed may be the subjects of a lawsuit as three people have died due to problems with the devices. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says that the manufacturer, Bed Handles Inc. of Blue Springs, Missouri, has recalled 113,000 portable bed handles. Handle Problems According to the agency, the handles can shift out of place if attached without safety retention straps, which can lead to a dangerous gap between the handle and the mattress. The gap could then trap a person, leading to a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit possibility. Three Deaths Thus far, this handle malfunction has caused three deaths. An elderly Minnesota woman living in an assisted living facility, died due to the problem. A woman in Washington State living at a managed care facility and a disabled woman in her 40’s living at an adult family home, both died after becoming trapped between the bed and handle. Whether or not the families of the women will file a wrongful death lawsuit is unknown at this time. Entrapment and Strangulation The Consumer Product Safety Commission says that people should immediately stop using the handles due to the strong possibility of entrapment and strangulation. The handles were manufactured between 1994 and 2007 and do not have the necessary safety retention straps to prevent shifting. Drug stores, healthcare agencies and medical equipment retailers have all sold them. When a medical device fails leading to injury or death, a lawsuit may be in order. Contact Dallas-Fort Worth lawyers at Frenkel & Frenkel to schedule a free initial consultation regarding negligence by a medical provider. For more information on Frenkel and Frenkel, please visit our website at www.FrenkelFirm.com.
