Since 1992, the American Association of Pediatrics has advised that infants under one year should sleep only on their backs at an angle of less than 10 degrees. This recommendation comes from evidence linking other sleeping positions to an increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other life-threatening conditions. Despite this, companies such as Fisher-Price ignored these guidelines for years and sold products like rockers and sleeper beds, which placed infants in unsafe sleeping positions.
Recent legislation bans the sale of these products in the United States. Unfortunately, this measure came too late to prevent harm to hundreds of infants, many of whom suffered life-threatening or fatal injuries. If your baby experienced an injury or death caused by one of these products, a defective child products lawyer from Marrone Law Firm, LLC could help you explore your options for filing or joining a defective baby rocker and sleeper lawsuit in Philadelphia.
Products like the Fisher-Price Rock N’ Play Sleeper elevate infants’ heads and position their backs on a surface angled at 30 degrees or more, defying safety recommendations from organizations such as the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP). Infants who sleep in this position and in devices of this design are more likely to fall asleep with their heads tilted down on their chests. That can lead to them being deprived of oxygen and suffering debilitating—or potentially fatal—brain and organ damage as a result.
Fisher-Price recalled this product in 2019, prompting many other companies with similar products to follow soon after. Despite growing evidence that these companies prioritized profits over safety, they deny liability for the numerous injuries and deaths linked to their products. These actions have led to defective baby rocker and sleeper lawsuits in Philadelphia and across the United States.
Parents whose babies suffered serious or fatal injuries in inclined sleeper beds before turning one year old may have grounds to file a lawsuit and seek compensation for damages. Cases of this nature are typically stronger when based on injuries that occurred before the widespread recalls of these products in 2019. However, a qualified product liability attorney could still help pursue claims related to injuries that happened after these recalls in certain situations
Filing a lawsuit in Philadelphia over a defective baby rocker or sleeper typically involves starting or joining a “mass tort” claim. In this type of lawsuit, multiple people who suffered harm in the same way from the same defendant combine resources and sue together. Seasoned legal counsel could provide detailed guidance during a private initial meeting about how this process works and what losses you might include in recovery efforts.
Inclined baby beds represent one of the more catastrophic examples in recent years of American companies neglecting safety research before releasing inherently dangerous products to the market. Families affected by these products understand all too well the devastating physical, financial, and personal tolls they can cause.
If a defective sleeper has affected your baby, you may have grounds to seek compensation for your losses with help from a skilled personal injury attorney. Contact Marrone Law Firm, LLC today to discuss your options for filing a defective baby rocker or sleeper lawsuit in Philadelphia.