Largest Award for the Wrongful Death of a Child Provided by Ikea After Dresser Incident

Ikea, known for being the world’s largest retailer of furniture, has recently agreed to award the family of Jozef Dudek a total of $46 million for his wrongful death. The death occurred in 2017 after a dresser from Ikea tipped, fell, and suffocated the two-year-old. His parents never thought that there was reason to believe the dresser was dangerous because they were not aware of the product’s recall. 

Recall Issued But No Communication from Ikea

Ikea failed to reach out directly to its customers of these dressers to explain the reason behind the recall and what they should do to avoid the potential hazards associated with the product. When a product is defective and customers purchase it, injuries sustained from the use of that product will fall on the company. The company must uphold a certain level of safety standards when producing products for consumers.

The parents of Dudek decided that it was in their best interest to file a wrongful death suit based on the circumstances of the situation in which their child lost his life. There was already proof that something was wrong with the dressers because of incidents that had previously occurred, and the Dudek’s were prepared to question Ikea’s lack of aggressive recall promotion. 

In fact, Ikea had issued its recall on these dressers back in 2016 after numerous children were injured, some of whom passed away from their injuries. Ikea issued $50 million to be split between three separate families after having a lawsuit filed against them for wrongful death and personal injuries. However, this award of $46 million is the largest amount awarded in the wrongful death of a child to one family.

A Hurting Family

Joleen Dudek, the mother of Jozef, can only wonder what her son would have become. She thinks about how he would have been close to turning five years old in the coming months. It pains her to think of the loss of her child and how it happened so senselessly due to a piece of furniture that she thought was safe to have in the home. No one in the family had any reason to believe that the Malm dresser would lead to the death of their toddler.

After news of the settlement emerged, Ikea issued a statement in regards to the tragic accident. The company said it is so sorry for the loss of Jozef and the pain and suffering that this accident has caused the family of the young boy. Ikea believes the settlement is fair and hopes to move forward with taking the necessary steps to release safer products that will not cause harm to anyone, especially children. 

The Dudek family simply hopes that Ikea and other companies will be more transparent about their products, especially if recalls are taking place. They hope that companies will work harder to make consumers aware that something they have purchased might have been recalled for a number of reasons. The Dudeks plan on contributing funds to organizations that provide consumer reports to keep the consumers updated on recalls.

Contact a Perth Amboy Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Product Liability Case in New Jersey

Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to product liability in New Jersey? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at CourtLaw represent clients injured because of defective products in Perth Amboy, Jersey City, New Brunswick, Roselle, East Orange, and throughout New Jersey. Call 732-442-5900 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 163 Market Street, Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 as well as offices in Jersey City, New Brunswick, Roselle, and East Orange.

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