The lawsuit claims a defective design in the bed’s adjustable foundation left 78-year-old Rosalind Walker trapped for two days, ultimately leading to her death.
Summary: A wrongful death lawsuit alleges that a Sleep Number bed led to the death of 78-year-old Rosalind Walker. The lawsuit claims that the bed’s adjustable foundation lowered without warning, trapping Walker between the bed and a wall for two days. After being removed by emergency responders, she was hospitalized, placed in hospice care, and later died. The suit, brought by Walker’s daughter, Angela Moan, accuses Sleep Number and Leggett & Platt of negligence and liability and includes a breach of warranty claim against Sleep Number. The plaintiff seeks damages exceeding $25,000 for pre-death suffering, medical bills, and loss of companionship.
Key Takeaways:
- Alleged Bed Malfunction Led to Fatal Outcome: The lawsuit claims that the bed’s adjustable foundation lowered without warning, trapping Walker and contributing to her death.
- Safety and Design Deficiencies Highlighted: The complaint alleges the bed lacked necessary safety features, such as an alert system and release mechanism, rendering it “defective and unreasonably dangerous.”
- Legal Claims Against Manufacturers: The suit accuses Sleep Number and Leggett & Platt of negligence and liability, while also alleging a breach of warranty against Sleep Number.
A wrongful death lawsuit filed in the Circuit Court for St. Louis County of Missouri alleges that a Sleep Number bed led to the death of 78-year-old Rosalind Walker, who was reportedly trapped between the bed and a wall for two days.
The lawsuit, brought by Walker’s daughter, Angela Moan, accuses Sleep Number and Missouri-based manufacturer Leggett & Platt of negligence and liability.
According to the complaint, Walker purchased the Sleep Number bed in 2014, which came with a 25-year warranty. The bed’s adjustable foundation, designed to raise and lower the head portion of the mattress, allegedly malfunctioned on March 1, 2023, lowering without warning while Walker was positioned between the bed and the wall in her Godfrey, Illinois, home. The incident allegedly left her trapped for two days until emergency responders removed her on March 3.
Walker was hospitalized, transferred to a rehabilitation center, and later brought home on hospice care. She died on April 3, 2023, according to the lawsuit.
The complaint claims the bed lacked an adequate alert system and release mechanism to prevent or address such entrapments. It further asserts that the bed’s design was “defective and unreasonably dangerous” and failed to meet reasonable safety expectations for consumers.
Moan is seeking damages exceeding $25,000 for her mother’s pre-death suffering, related medical bills, and the loss of companionship. The suit alleges negligence and liability against both Sleep Number and Leggett & Platt, as well as a breach of warranty claim against Sleep Number.
In a statement to Sleep Review, Sleep Number says it is aware of the lawsuit filed against the company and Leggett and Platt, the manufacturer of the bed’s adjustable base. “We understand that this incident is alleged to have occurred in March 2023; we were notified of the alleged incident after the lawsuit was filed last week, December 10,” the company says in the statement. “We extend our sincere condolences to the family of Ms. Walker for their tragic loss. Currently, our legal team is reviewing the lawsuit. Sleep Number stands by the design and safety of its products and is complying with any necessary inquiries or actions.”
As of publication, Leggett & Platt has not responded to Sleep Review’s request for comment.
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