Slip and Falls in Bathtubs are the Manufacturers’ Fault

The danger of a walk-in bathtub is not obvious to the ordinary consumer, and for good reason. All the marketing regarding walk-in bathtubs suggests that they are the safer option, that they are perfect for older people, disabled veterans, and other people with difficulties using an ordinary bathtub. The truth, however, is that many walk-in bathtubs are dangerous because the risks of injuries are not obvious but just as devastating. Many people have purchased walk-in bathtubs for their elderly family members or themselves without realizing that walk-in tubs have their own risks. When someone falls in a walk-in bathtub they can end up trapped without any way to get up. Everyone knows that bathtubs can be slippery but a walk-in tub’s extended walls can make it almost impossible to escape in the event of a fall even for completely able-bodied people. Walk-in bathtub deaths are made more common because manufacturers and retailers promote a false sense of security by advertising the safety of these tubs. Walk-in bathtubs have several dangerous defects that may warrant the filing of a lawsuit.

Are Walk-in Bathtubs Defectively Designed?

Many walk-in bathtubs have a critical design flaw in that the doors on these bathtubs only open inwards. When people slip and fall in a bathtub they often have limited ways to free themselves, and even more dangerously, have no way to drain the water. Inward opening doors make it impossible to escape the bathtub when the person’s body is blocking the door. While obviously no one wants to open the door to a bathtub while it is full of water, in an emergency it becomes necessary. There have been reported cases where a victim has fallen into the walk-in bathtub and even though there was a second person present. They had no way to save the fall victim because the door could only open inwards.

An elderly California couple purchased a walk-in bathtub because of all the advertised safety benefits and the ease of use. One day while the husband decided to take a bath and seated himself comfortably in the tub when he decided to put his legs up on the edge of the tub to fully relax.  His relaxation was turned to terror moments later when he slipped off the seat and fell headfirst towards the bottom of the tub while his legs were still up above him. He essentially found himself trapped upside down in the tub with his head and arms at the bottom of the tub and his legs flailing at the top with no way to save himself. His wife, who was in the other room, heard the commotion and came in immediately to help. Sadly, there was nothing she could do. She wasn’t strong enough to pull him up by his legs, she couldn’t drain the bathtub because his body was in the way, and because of the design of the bathtub door she couldn’t open it to free him or the water. The inward opening door was blocked by his body, the obvious design defect that prevented her from being able to save her husband’s life.

These are major design flaws that bathtub companies should be forced to address. When companies do not do their utmost to prioritize safety of their customers people lose family members. While inward opening doors are a design defect, bathtubs can involve all kinds of other actionable defect that have caused injuries and death. Some bathtubs have been manufactured with inadequate slip protection or poor safety ergonomics. Regardless of the nature of the cause, if you or a loved has been injured or died in a bathtub slip and fall, reach out to our bathtub injury lawyers for a free consultation.

Can I Bring a Bathtub Injury Lawsuit?

The corporations that advertise bathtubs use their marketing to promise their tub cut outs are safe for the elderly and that that their engineering standards have created a perfectly safe and comfortable bathtub. When these promises don’t hold up it is only right that they should face the consequences. If you or someone you know has been hurt by a bathtub determining whether you have a lawsuit can be complicated. You may be able to bring a variety of different legal claims related to bathtub injuries including product defect, negligence, false advertising, and inadequate warnings claims. Regardless of the circumstances involving the injury your best option is to reach out to one of our bathtub injury lawyers for a free evaluation. A lawyer is always going to be better equipped to determine whether you may have a claim. Even when you believe the injury was the person’s fault, or the company denies it has any responsibility, contact our bathtub injury and walk-in wrongful death lawyers first.

Walk-in Bathtub Slip and Fall Attorneys

SOS Injury Lawyers represents anyone who has been injured or lost their lives due to the poor design of walk-in bathtubs. Our law firm was founded with a focus on ensuring that companies are forced to prioritize the safety of the customer before shareholder profits. Manufacturers have an obligation to design and market profits that are safe to use. When these companies sell bathtubs that injure people they should be held responsible. If you or someone you know has been injured or died in a bathtub related accident, call our firm to discuss your case at (702) 720-3030. We represent families for walk-in bathtub injury cases in Nevada, California, Arizona, and across the country.