It can be alarming to understand the potential dangers household electronics and other household items may pose. The dangers from household items, unfortunately, can threaten both injuries and fatal harm to families. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the annual average from 2008 to 2010 of emergency room injuries related to household electronics, furniture and appliances was 43,400. A total of 293 fatalities were attributed to household dangers from 2000 to 2010.
Of the 43,400 emergency room injuries, 58 percent of the victims, or 25,300 injuries, were children under the age of 18. Of the reported fatalities, 84 percent were children. Of the reported emergency room injuries, 44 percent, or 19,200, were attributed to televisions or televisions and accompanying furniture falling; 52 percent, or 22,500, were attributed to furniture alone falling; and 4 percent, or 1,700, were attributed to appliances falling.
Concerning fatal accident injuries, 60 percent were the result of televisions, or a combination of televisions and furniture falling; 92 percent were the result of furniture falling; and 25 percent were the result of appliances falling. Of the emergency room injuries that were treated, 71 percent of the falling accidents occurred in homes and 74 percent of fatalities followed falling accidents that occurred in homes.
A variety of injuries from cuts, bruises, fractures, organ damage and head injuries accounted for both the non-fatal and fatal injuries reported. Treatment of injuries from falling household electronics and other dangerous household items can be a costly and time-consuming process. Depending on the unique circumstances of each incident, and the potential liability of manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers of the household items, victims may be able to receive assistance with damages from harm suffered because of dangerous or defective household items.
