Injured by a Defective Massage Chair – What are my Rights?

Massage chairs are used as a form or relaxation, and they are readily available at salons, shopping malls, health spas, and many other commercial properties. Some people have massage chairs in their homes and find that they are helpful for health issues like backaches and chronic pain from an accident. While these chairs are generally safe to use, there may be defects that are caused by the manufacturer or distributor of the product. Lack of care and maintenance by the owner can also create malfunctions, which can injure someone that’s sitting in the chair.

Accidents involving massage chairs can result in severe injuries, including death. Babies and small children, for example, are prone to injuries from slipping through gaps in a massage chair. Or, they may crawl underneath the chair and accidentally turn it on. If something is wrong with the internal settings, it may be impossible to turn off the unit or restore it to its original settings. This can cause both adults and children to be crushed by the rollers inside the chair.

If you were harmed by a malfunctioning massage chair, our lawyers would like to advise you of your rights and legal options during a free case evaluation. Depending on the exact cause of your injuries, you may have a case for monetary compensation against the manufacturer of the chair or the owner of the property where you were injured.

Injuries Caused by Massage Chairs

The majority of compensation claims involving massage chairs are based on crushing injuries, which can happen when there is excessive pressure from the rollers. In 2022, for example, a woman in Naples, Florida was stuck in a massage chair when the rollers around her feet clamped down and could not be released. In a video that was posted on the Naples Fire Department Facebook page, the women is heard crying out in pain as firefighters cut through parts of the chair with a grinder.

This accident was likely a result of electrical wiring problems, which may have been caused by the manufacturer. Such defects can also lead to overly intense massages and overheating, which can also harm the user. Then, there is the possibility of electrical shock and fire injuries, which can cause burns, respiratory distress, muscle spasms, low blood pressure, and cardiac arrest. Issues with internal settings are often caused by the manufacturer, but of course, these are machines that require consistent maintenance. Thus, what happens to the chair after it’s been sold is up to the property owner, who may be to blame if someone is injured from a massage chair.

Liability for a Massage Chair Accident

In the previous section, we mentioned two entities that are generally responsible if you’ve sustained injuries from a massage chair with a mechanical defect or design flaw. But how can you tell for sure if you should file a lawsuit against the chair manufacturer or the owner of the property where you were injured?

Essentially, you would need to figure out the hazard that caused your accident, and who is legally responsible for that condition. As an example, you may have been injured due to a lack of key safety features, which is something that the manufacturer is responsible for. Alternatively, there may have been a problem during the manufacturing process that the product maker was unaware of. Nevertheless, the principle of strict liability holds manufacturers responsible if a defect occurred with a product while it was still in their possession.

As for the property owner, this is the entity that’s liable if they failed to keep up with repairs and maintenance on the chair. This is particularly important at spas, airports, massage therapy centers, and other places where the chair may be used by many people on a daily basis. That increases the possibility of an accident, so any malfunctions must be addressed right away. This is part of a property owner’s duty of care to guest and visitors under the law of premises liability.

By working with a product injury lawyer, you can ensure that the right party is held accountable for your accident. Contact our law firm to initiate a massage chair injury claim with one of our legal experts.

Monetary Damages from a Defective Product Lawsuit

The payment you are due from a massage chair accident claim includes compensation for numerous expenses that you’ve incurred due to the defendant’s negligence. The specific payments will differ, based on whether you are the injured party or the loved one of a deceased injury victim. As the accident victim, here are the forms of compensation you may be eligible to receive:

• Payment for medical treatments and services
• Wages and benefits that were lost due to your recovery needs
• Cost of damaged belongings
• Pain and suffering and other non-economic damages
• Punitive damages
• Lawyer’s fees

Now, let’s go over the damages you are owed if your family member or spouse passes away from the injuries they sustained from a defective massage chair. Known as a wrongful death lawsuit, this is a legal action that will compensate you for the losses associated with your loved one’s passing. Depending on your relationship to the decedent, you may be entitled to funeral expenses, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and other economic and non-economic damages.

How Much can I Receive from a Massage Chair Injury Claim?

Without knowing the specific details of your accident and the harm you’ve suffered as a result, it’s impossible to say what you can potentially receive from a successful lawsuit. On average, our clients receive around $15,000 to $3,000,000 and above, which is largely based on the severity of their injuries. But there are many other issues that we consider in order to derive an approximate case value. That’s why it’s important to discuss your case with a massage chair injury attorney as soon as possible.

How Long Do these Cases Take to Settle?

Claims involving defective products are incredibly complex, as they typically involve technical issues that are beyond the understanding of most injury victims. To ensure a timely resolution to your case, it’s best to work with a law firm that’s experienced in unsafe product injuries. Based on a variety of circumstances, it can take anywhere from 6 months to over 2 years to reach a settlement in these cases. If you would like a detailed explanation of the legal process for a massage chair injury accident case, contact us to schedule a free consultation.

Do You Offer Second Opinions?

Yes, our lawyers are available to provide you with a free second opinion if you have an existing product liability case that you have questions or concerns about. Whether your lawyer is ignoring your calls or you don’t agree with their advice, we are happy to evaluate your claim and offer suggestions based on our many years of experience. You will not be charged for a second opinion, so don’t hesitate to contact us and speak to a lawyer with experience in broken or defective product lawsuits.

What is the Deadline to Sue for a Defective / Broken Massage Chair?

The statute of limitations to sue a property owner or product manufacturer for your injuries is two years if you are filing a lawsuit in California. Keep in mind that the two-year window starts from the date you are injured, expect in rare cases that must be approved by the court. Thus, if you wait too long and exceed the deadline to file a lawsuit, you will lose the chance to demand compensation from the responsible party. To protect your interests as someone that was injured from a massage chair, call us right away to begin the process for a defective product accident claim.

The Zero Fee Guarantee

Legal fees are not something you should worry about when you are seeking justice from a party that has harmed you. That’s why we will never ask for payment when you choose our law firm to represent you. We ask the defendant to cover all the costs associated with your case, which we only receive by recovering your settlement award. If you don’t receive compensation at the end of your case, you walk away without spending a penny.

In short, there is nothing to lose by reaching out to us and learning about the legal options that are available to you. Contact Kenmore Law Group to schedule a free case review if you were injured by a massage chair due to a defect or lack of maintenance.