Mattress Fire Cases
Foster Law Firm, L.L.P. was associated as counsel for plaintiffs by Alabama counsel in a flammability action against furniture mattress manufacturers La-Z-Boy, Inc., England, Inc. of New Tazwell, Tennessee, and Rent-A-Center, a consumer lease to own company in a case removed July, 2002 to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Case No. CV-02-S-1728 NE and CV-02-H-1729-NE, and involving the deaths of twin children and serious injuries to their mother from a 6-14-00 fire which occurred when a candle fell from a wall sconce to the floor igniting a sectional sleeper sofa containing large quantities of non-fire retardant polyurethane foam both in the sofa and mattress. The highly flammable foam accelerated the fire extremely rapidly, causing the injury and deaths. The occupants initially tried to fight the small fire without success as it rapidly grew to dramatic proportions, releasing thick dark toxic smoke and gasses. The case was resolved by way of confidential settlement.
