Palmdale Defective Garage Door Death
A 3-year-old boy was killed in his Palmdale home after a defective garage door fell and struck him in the head, KTLA News reports. The fatal Los Angeles County accident occurred in the 38500 block of 22nd Street East near Palmdale Boulevard around 6 p.m. March 10, 2009. L.A. County Sheriff's Department officials said the toddler's mother opened the motorized sectional garage door as she prepared to leave the house with her two boys.
When she tried to close the garage door, the malfunctioning door came down hitting the boy in the head. The child, who has not yet been identified, was pronounced dead an hour after the accident at an area hospital.
The garage door apparently failed again and came slamming down, as authorities tested it out later for product defects.
My heart goes out to this child who was so tragically taken away from his family. I offer my deepest sympathies to the boy's parents and other family members. This must be heartbreaking for the child's mother and brother who witnessed the incident. Please keep this family in your prayers.
According to reports received by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), about 60 children between the ages of 2 and 14 have been trapped and killed under automatic garage doors since March 1982. The federal agency has also received reports of many other children who have suffered brain damage or other serious injuries when a garage door fell on them.
The CPSC recommends that for the safe operation of a garage door it must be "balanced." What this means is that the door will stay in place when stopped in any partially opened position. An "unbalanced" garage door could unexpectedly crash to the floor possibly striking someone under the open door. The CPSC required that all garage door operators manufactured or imported after January 1, 1993, for sale in the United States be outfitted with an entrapment protection system. This system can be an electric eye, a door edge sensor or any other device that prevents the garage door from causing personal injury. If an electric eye is used, it should be installed at a height of 4 to 6 inches above the floor.
The family of the victim in this case would be well-advised to retain the services of a reputed California product defect law firm that will have experts scrutinize this garage door for product defects, failed components and other evidence. The garage door must be preserved in its current condition until an expert has examined it. If this tragedy occurred because of a defective product, the garage door manufacturer must be held responsible for the accident and the boy's death. The best California personal injury lawyers will provide a free and comprehensive consultation to injured victims and/or their families. My law firm will be more than happy to provide information and assistance to this Palmdale family, which has suffered an irreparable loss.
