Bean bag chairs
CPSC Recall #95-038 - November 30, 1994
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 95-038 |
| Recall Date | November 30, 1994 |
| Remedy Type | Repair |
| Units Affected | About 2.5 million |
Where It Was Sold
| The recalled chairs sold for about $20.00 at stores such as Walmart |
| Kmart |
| Lillian Vernon |
| and Target. The bean bag |
| which is meant for adult use |
| comes in a variety of colors |
| patterns |
| and fabrics. |
Product
Bean bag chairs
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - CPSC, Baseline Design Division of Crain Industries Inc. of Fort Smith, Ark., is voluntarily recalling about 2.5 million bean bag chairs sold nationwide in retail stores from 1990 through 1994. Young children and toddlers can suffocate from inhaling the small pellets of foam filling, if they unzip the bean bag chair. On September 11, 1994, a 19-month-old toddler of Unionville, Mo., reportedly unzipped the bean bag chair, crawled inside, and suffocated from inhaling the foam filling pellets. Baseline received one other report of a 2 1/2-year-old girl from El Paso, Texas, who survived after inhaling and ingesting the foam pellets, when her older brother reportedly zipped the bean bag chair closed with the child inside. The recalled chairs sold for about $20.00 at stores such as Walmart, Kmart, Lillian Vernon, and Target. The bean bag, which is meant for adult use, comes in a variety of colors, patterns, and fabrics. Consumers should stop using these chairs and keep them away from young children. Consumers who find the manufacturer Base Line Design printed on the label of their bean bag chair can call 800-497-3626, ext. 2997 for instructions on returning the bean bag chair free-of-charge to Base Line Design to have the hazard eliminated by retrofitting the chair.
Hazard
Young children and toddlers can suffocate from inhaling the small pellets of foam filling, if they unzip the bean bag chair.
Incidents & Injuries
On September 11, 1994, a 19-month-old toddler of Unionville, Mo., reportedly unzipped the bean bag chair, crawled inside, and suffocated from inhaling the foam filling pellets. Baseline received one other report of a 2 1/2-year-old girl from El Paso, Texas, who survived after inhaling and ingesting the foam pellets, when her older brother reportedly zipped the bean bag chair closed with the child inside.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should stop using these chairs and keep them away from young children. Consumers who find the manufacturer Base Line Design printed on the label of their bean bag chair can call 800-497-3626, ext. 2997 for instructions on returning the bean bag chair free-of-charge to Base Line Design to have the hazard eliminated by retrofitting the chair.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Repair at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly, either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Repair) at no cost to you.
Yes. If you were injured by a defective consumer product, whether recalled or not, you may have grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer and potentially the retailer. A recall notice can serve as evidence that the manufacturer was aware of the defect. Injuries that may support a claim include burns, lacerations, fractures, electric shock, choking incidents, and chemical exposure. Most product liability attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless you win. Consult an attorney promptly, as statutes of limitation vary by state.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney, parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.