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Mini Blind Strangulation Attorneys

Mini Blind Strangulation Lawsuit - Window Cord Injury Lawsuit Claims

Who Can File a Mini Blind Lawsuit

Mini Blind LawsuitOur lawyers handling window blind cord injury lawsuits have represented more than fifty families whose child has been harmed or killed in a blind cord strangulation accident. We approach each blind cord accident lawsuit with compassion and sensitivity, as well as an unrivaled commitment to achieving justice and creating lasting change. This page provides an overview of our mini blind cord lawsuits in the context of evolving industry regulations. Much of this information was not public knowledge until our attorneys obtained it through extensive window blind cord lawsuit research and Freedom of Information Act requests.

Attorneys for Window Cord Choking Lawsuits Work to Eliminate the Threat

On behalf of more than fifty families we have represented who have lost a child as a result of dangerous window coverings, our attorneys handling mini blind cord injury lawsuits filed a Petition for Rulemaking to the CPSC in 2014, demanding the industry be held to a mandatory standard that would completely eliminate the risk of blind cord strangulation throughout the United States.

Our extensive efforts in mini blind cord litigation have established an environment that is extremely favorable for this Petition being granted. Until window covering manufacturers are required to produce cordless products or use passive blocking devices to make cords inaccessible, American children will continue to die in blind cord accidents and filing mini blind cord lawsuits will remain the only recourse available.

Should this petition be granted, a MANDATORY STANDARD would be imposed that would finally and totally eliminate window blind cord strangulation dangers from American products. Safe and affordable alternatives to dangerous window shades do exist; despite facing dozens of window blind death lawsuits, the industry has proven over the course of decades that it will always choose profits over safety. Manufacturers must be forced to comply in order to keep children safe from mini blind cord strangulation. Our lawyers representing families in mini blind cord accident lawsuits will continue to work tirelessly to push for mandatory regulations until every possible danger is eliminated.

Window Blind Lawsuit

History of Window Blind Cord Lawsuits and Regulations

Our firm is calling for mandatory standards because the voluntary standards adopted by the Window Covering Manufacturer’s Association (WCMA) still do not eliminate deaths and injuries resulting from mini blind cord strangulation hazards. The WCMA has a long, documented history of creating voluntary standards that fall short of truly protecting children.

In 1985, the first mini blind cord strangulation safety alert was issued, warning consumers of window blind cord hazards. This action was taken when the industry was forced to address approximately 75 fatal window blind cord strangulations which had occurred since 1973. Consumers were warned of mini blind cord dangers and told to keep cords out of reach of children by shortening the cords and keeping furniture away from windows.

Between 1985 and 1993, 108 children died of strangulation because of dangerous blinds, drapes or shades. The CPSC determined the safety warning had been ineffective, and an industry standard was devised. The first ANSI standard, published in 1996, aimed to prevent mini blind cord deaths by eliminating some outer cord loops and incorporating breakaway tassels and tie-down devices. The standard mentioned inner cords in a vague manner but did not provide specific directives to prepare window blind cord injuries from inner cords. The first voluntary standard excluded the mention of several well-known and documented window blind cord hazards.

Between 1994 and 2000, 93 more children died from shade or blind cord strangulation. At this point, the CPSC demanded the industry address the threat of mini blind injuries from inner cords, and a 2000 Safety Alert instructed consumers with young children to use cordless window covering products only.

Between 2000 and 2010, the CPSC worked with the industry to publish several new versions of the voluntary standard, each of which came up short. The voluntary standard still did not address every known window blind cord hazard that had resulted in serious or fatal injury to young children. More than a dozen major recalls were issued for products which failed to meet the voluntary standards. Specific mini blind cord hazards that were the subject of recalls included dangerous rear inner cords on Roman shades and lifting loops on rollup shades.

Window Blind Cord Strangulation Lawsuit

Window Shade Recalls Prompted by Strangulation Deaths

This record of piecemeal efforts – mini blind cord safety alerts, recalls and voluntary standards addressing hazards related to corded window coverings including shades, drapes, blinds and curtains – did little to prevent window blind cord deaths. In fact, the numbers continued to rise. Between 2001 and 2010, there were 112 fatal mini blind cord accidents.

In 2010, the US CPSC took the unprecedented action of uniting with international entities (Health Canada and the European Commission) to address the industry. The trilateral letter urged the industry to “eliminate risk factors causing deaths and injuries from all types of corded window covering products.”

Also at this time, several consumer and parent groups addressing window blind cord strangulation hazards were permitted to participate in the standard revision process. However, after realizing the industry intended to continue ignoring the known risks to children of mini blind cord strangulation, the groups walked out of the negotiation process. The loopholes in the voluntary standard, such as the lack of attention to looped cords or inner cords, were permitting ongoing injuries and deaths from mini blind cord strangulation incidents. The version of the standard released in 2012 still had glaring omissions.

The Window Covering Manufacturer’s Association, WCMA, has been only marginally cooperative over the years in producing standards to prevent window blind injuries to children. In the end, the WCMA’s efforts amount to very little – the rate of fatal mini blind cord strangulation accidents has risen over the decades.

As our firm became involved in representing many of the families harmed by mini blind cord dangers, we were appalled to learn of the decades-long failure of the industry to eliminate these hazards through simple, inexpensive design changes. Thus, our attorneys handling window blind cord injury lawsuits are demanding the establishment of mandatory standards that require the use of cordless technology whenever possible. The industry cannot be trusted with the safety of American children. The only viable answers we see are first, for families to file window blind cord lawsuits against the companies repsonsible for these products; and second, for the CPSC to pass mandatory regulations to eliminate the danger completely.

As our firm became involved in representing many of the families harmed by mini blind cord dangers, we were appalled to learn of the decades-long failure of the industry to eliminate these hazards through simple, inexpensive design changes.

WCMA Standards Fail to Protect Children from Window Blind Cord Accidents

In 2014, after watching the WCMA persist in creating inadequate safety standards and failing to take action in a timely manner, these mini blind cord lawyers filed a Petition for Rulemaking. CPSC staff have recommended that the Petition be granted, which would initiate the development of a mandatory, enforceable standard to eliminate mini blind cord dangers from new products sold in the United States.

Lawyers for Mini Blind Injury Lawsuits

Our attorneys handling window blind cord lawsuits worked together with a coalition of consumer and safety groups to write the Petition, including Parents for Window Blind Safety, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer’s Union, Kids in Danger, Public Citizen, US PIRG, Independent Safety Consulting, and Safety Behavior Analysis, Inc. Having contributed to more than fifty mini blind strangulation lawsuits and armed with the nation's most comprehensive "poison" document database against the window covering industry, our firm is the premier mini blind choking attorney group in the United States. We see the elimination of window cord dangers through advocacy and mini blind lawsuits as our solemn duty. Contact the firm to speak with an attorney representing blind cord lawsuits today.


Mini Blind Cord Strangulation Dangers Have Been Reported By:

Miniblind Strangulation on ABC News Miniblind Strangulation on the New York Times Miniblind Strangulation on USA Today Miniblind Strangulation on Chicago Tribune Miniblind Strangulation on LA Times Miniblind Strangulation on Nightline