$900,000 Defective Chair Collapse Settlement in Nassau County

A routine day at a Nassau County office turned into a medical emergency when the chair beneath our client collapsed without warning — the impact with the floor herniated discs and tore the rotator cuff.

Defective Office Chair Collapse in Nassau County

Our client sat down at their workstation the same way they had hundreds of times before. Without any warning, the gas cylinder mechanism in the chair failed catastrophically, dropping the seat to its lowest position and then tipping sideways. Our client hit the ground hard, landing on their back and shoulder with the full weight of the fall concentrated on one side of their body.

The impact herniated two lumbar discs and tore the right rotator cuff — injuries that required arthroscopic shoulder surgery and a lumbar epidural series, followed by months of rehabilitation before our client could return to even light-duty desk work.

Tracing the Defect Back to the Manufacturer

What appeared to be a simple slip-and-fall was actually a product liability case. Our attorneys retained a mechanical engineer who examined the failed chair and identified a known defect in the gas cylinder locking mechanism — a defect that had generated complaints from other users of the same model. We also established that the building management company had purchased the chairs from a discount supplier and never inspected them for safety compliance.

"People don't expect a chair to send them to the emergency room. But when a manufacturer sells furniture with a known mechanical defect, they're responsible for every injury it causes. We traced this failure back to the source and made sure both the manufacturer and the building owner paid for it." — Jared Dubin, Attorney

$900,000 Recovery for a Workplace Chair Collapse

This $900,000 settlement covers shoulder surgery, spinal treatment, physical therapy, lost wages during the recovery period, and the ongoing pain and limitations our client experiences. It reflects accountability from both the furniture manufacturer and the property management company that supplied the defective chairs.

If you were injured by defective furniture or equipment at your workplace, our product liability attorneys have experience tracing manufacturing defects and holding companies accountable, and are ready to review your claim.