Waldrons Remedy For An Itchy Tale

The simple pleasure of relaxing in a comfy sofa has become an uncomfortable nightmare for some, warns partner and personal injury specialist Adrian Witt of leading Black Country solicitors Waldrons.

Certain leather sofas sold by several well-known furniture stores have been found to cause rashes on people who come into contact with them.

People have been affected in different ways, says Mr Witt. "For some, the rash is mild but in more serious cases, it has resulted in hospitalisation.

"What is worse, the rash has developed on the back or bottom simply by sitting on the furniture. It can develop after a few hours or after prolonged exposure."

The offending sofas were manufactured by a Chinese manufacturer and imported into the UK by large national suppliers.

As part of the manufacturing process, it is believed that sachets of a fungicide have been inserted into the sofas to prevent the leather becoming damp and mouldy.

Instead, it appears this fungicide is the most likely cause of a skin reaction.

"Some furniture stores have withdrawn the sofas from sale and offered customers a full refund and a replacement sofa," added Mr Witt.

"However, some stores are still selling the dangerous furniture and unsuspecting customers are getting a nasty surprise when they settle down to relax.

"It may seem an unusual personal injury claim, but thankfully there is legislation which allows the UK furniture stores which sell these sofas to be held liable for the injury they cause.

"Victims should seek professional advice from a personal injury specialist," advised Mr Witt.

For more information, contact Adrian Witt at Waldrons on 01384 811811

The parents sued in the case were insured in relation to the case highlighting the vital importance of having proper insurance for just such an eventuality.

For people wondering however whether to cancel the bouncy castle hired for their child’s birthday party, they should be reassured by the Court’s specific findings in this case.

It is clear that there should be proper supervision of the inflatable. Some accidents are unavoidable, happening in a split second and no level of supervision can prevent them. However, with appropriate supervision the risk of such accidents can be minimised.

Secondly, by ensuring that the inflatable is not overcrowded and more importantly by ensuring that only children of a similar size us the inflatable at any given time, the risk of injury and therefore the risk of being sued will be dramatically reduced.

The world has not therefore come to an end and taken leave of its senses. Following the guidelines of the reputable hirer together with the BIHA can allow parents and children to enjoy using inflatables safely and without fear of ending up in Court.