Endurance Hand Bed Rails Recalled Due To Asphyxia Hazard

Product Recalls - June 17, 2024

Essential Medical Supply Recalls Adult Portable Bed Rails Due To Entrapment and Asphyxia Risk Following Two Deaths

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (June 16, 2024) – Essential Medical Supply has recalled the Endurance Hand Bed Rails due to the risk that users can become entrapped and suffocate.

The recall date was April 04, 2024. According to the CSPC recall notice, the model numbers for affected units are (P1410), (P1410-P), (P1411-P) and (P1411).

The issue with the portable bed rails is that users can become entrapped within the bed rail or between the bed rail and the side of any mattress.

A recall was initially issued in December 2021. Part of the reason that Essential Medical Supply has reannounced the recall is that two additional deaths have been reported.

Liability For Portable Bed Rail Deaths

Portable bed rails are designed to provide safety and prevent people from inadvertently falling out of their beds. These rails also offer assistance for people to sit up, lie down, or reposition themselves within their bed. However, portable bed rails have often proven to be very dangerous for the groups that need them the most. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, “CPSC has identified 284 entrapment deaths involving adult portable bed rails between January 2003 and December 2021.” Certain groups of people tend to be at the greatest risk of being injured by portable bed rails.

• Elderly People: Seniors, especially those with limited mobility, are at greater risk of being seriously injured or killed by portable bed rails.
• People With Disabilities: Individuals with physical disabilities that affect mobility and coordination may struggle to safely maneuver around the rails.
• People with Cognitive Impairments: People with certain neurological conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are more likely to be seriously injured by bed rails.
• Post–Surgical Patients: When a patient is recovering from surgery, they may have reduced mobility and be under the influence of medications. This can potentially lead them to become entrapped in bed rails.

Companies that manufacture bed rails could be liable if someone is injured by their product. These companies have a legal obligation to create products that are reasonably safe. Moreover, they need to be safe in all of the situations in which they are likely to be used. If a portable bed rail is designed in such a way that people can be inadvertently trapped and suffocate, the manufacturer could be strictly liable.

It is possible that there could be multiple liable parties if a person is injured or killed by a portable bed rail. These devices are often used in healthcare settings, either by home-health aids or at hospitals. If a medical professional incorrectly installed one of these devices or failed to monitor a patient who died, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. It is important that evidence is properly preserved after any injury involving a portable bed rail.

• The portable bed rail should be examined.
• Medical records related to the incident should be preserved.
• It should be determined if there have been similar incidents.
• A product liability attorney should be consulted for an evaluation.

Portable bed rails serve an important function. Without these rails, many people would be seriously injured or killed in accidents where they fell off of beds. But it is crucial that portable bed rail manufacturers create products that are safe and rigorously tested. But far too often, this does not happen. In far too many situations, companies would rather pay for an occasional lawsuit than make products that are extremely safe.

Getting Legal Help After A Portable Bed Rail Injury or Death

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates offer our deepest condolences to the  families who have lost someone due to Endurance Hand Bed Rails asphyxiation. It is our sincere hope that the recall of the Endurance Hand Bed Rails will help prevent additional deaths. Safety should always be a top priority for any company that makes medical devices.

Have you or someone that you care about been harmed by using the Endurance Hand Bed Rails? You may have legal recourse. Our team of product liability attorneys is here to help in any way that we can. We are committed to helping accident victims and holding medical device companies accountable for their negligence. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.