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Texas Stove Tip-Over Injury Attorneys

San Antonio Stove Burn Lawsuit Lawyers

Range Tipping & Stove Tip-Over Accidents: Design Defects and Solutions

As far back as the late 1950s, the home appliance industry recognized that free-standing and slide-in kitchen stoves manufactured and sold in the United States could be easily tipped over by children. Not long after, manufacturers realized what the basic problem was: Their stoves were too top-heavy.

Manufacturers had managed to cut their production costs by using lighter, cheaper metal on the bottom portions of their stoves. These changes made the products inherently dangerous. Now, a small child who places weight on the oven door to see what mom is cooking — or even placing a turkey on the oven door — could cause the unit to tip and hurl boiling foods or liquids onto anyone in front of it.

Despite this knowledge, companies decided that not enough injuries or deaths would occur and that a design change was not financially justified.

Enough.

At the law office of Tinsman & Sciano, our attorneys know the history behind the problem of stove tip-over accidents and have handled more than 100 stove burn injury lawsuits in Texas and throughout the United States. Put our experience and resources to work for you. Call our San Antonio law office directly at (877) 220-0867 or contact us online for a free consultation.

The Anti-Tip Bracket Solution Isn't Working

It wasn't until fairly recently that the stove manufacturing industry offered up any type of solution to this problem. Their preferred least expensive fix was to design anti-tip stove devices that could be mounted to the floor or wall directly behind the stove to keep it from tipping. The problem with these devices is, of course, that they have to be installed in order to work; that simply wasn't being done more than 90 percent of the time, according to industry surveys. And even when the devices were being installed, they were not being installed correctly. In a recent case, it was found that more than 9,000 of these devices had not been installed properly.

A second "fix" was to begin "warning" consumers of the tip-over danger in the installation instructions attached to new products (these come with almost any new product you buy, and the industry recognizes that these instructions are rarely read and understood). A small warning label was also affixed on the inside of the oven door (in print so small you have to get down on your hands and knees to read it).

Unfortunately, range tipping and stove tip-over injuries and accidents continue to happen with regularity. And manufacturers are failing to address the root of the problem: a dangerously-designed product.

Fixing the Problem: Real Alternatives

To make ranges inherently safe without the use of anti-tip devices, manufacturers could add weight to the back of the range, and alter the dimensions and position of the leveling legs to change the fulcrum point.
Another solution has been suggested by our own attorney, Dan Sciano. Mr. Sciano's proposal is a "break-away" oven door that would bend or yield if too much weight or pressure were applied to the oven door.
If anti-tip brackets are used, interlocking devices could be installed to ensure that the range could not be energized unless these safety devices are properly installed.

None of these alternatives would cost a great deal to implement — especially when you consider the lives they could save and the injuries they could prevent.

Representing Stove Tip-Over Injury Victims Nationwide / Free Consultation / You Don't Pay Unless We Win

If a stove tip-over accident has left you struggling to deal with a serious cooking-burn injury or other injury — our lawyers can help.

Call us toll free from anywhere in Texas or nationwide at (877) 220-0867 for a free consultation, or take a moment to complete the brief e-mail form provided on our contact us page and someone from our office will get back to you as soon as possible.

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