The Dangers of Inclined Infant Sleepers
The dangerous design of inclined infant sleepers can pose life-threatening risks to babies, who can roll over and suffocate as a result of the sleeper’s incline and soft bedding.
To reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recommended since 1992 that infants under the age of one year should sleep flat on their backs on a flat and firm surface.
Inclined infant sleepers like the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play have now been tied to at least 73 infant fatalities and more than 1,000 reported incidents.
According to numerous medical experts:
- Babies should be placed flat on their backs on firm surfaces and not at an incline to minimize the risk of accidental suffocation
- Inclined sleepers like the Rock ‘n Play fail to meet this recommendation and can put infants at risk of harm, particularly SIDS and Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID)
If your infant was seriously or fatally harmed in the Rock ‘n Play or a similar inclined sleeper, you may be able to pursue compensation through legal action. Get a free legal consultation today to see if you may have a case.
The Health Risks of Inclined Infant Sleepers
In 2019, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) sought to evaluate the safety of inclined infant sleep products like the Rock ‘n Play. The CPSC contracted Dr. Erin Mannen, Ph.D., a mechanical engineer specializing in biomechanics, to conduct infant testing to analyze the design of infant sleep products.
“None of the inclined sleep products that were tested and evaluated as part of this study are safe for infant sleep,” concluded the Mannen Study.
Infant sleepers with an incline of over 10 degrees can pose serious health risks to children under the age of one, including:
- Suffocation
- Plagiocephaly (or flat head syndrome)
- Positional asphyxiation
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID)
- Torticollis (twisted neck syndrome)
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Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper Recalls
When the Consumer Product Safety Commission initially investigated the Rock ‘n Play Sleeper, Fisher-Price argued that:
- They didn’t believe “any deaths have been caused by the product”
- The deaths of children in the Rock ‘n Play were instead caused by parents improperly using the product and violating safety warnings and instructions
- The product was safe if parents stopped using the sleeper once their baby could roll over, usually around 3 months of age
Two weeks later, when babies even younger than 3 months old who couldn’t yet roll over were also being injured in the Rock ‘n Play, the company issued a full recall of the defective product — all 4.7 million baby sleepers sold.
An April 2019 Washington Post report found that:
“Fisher-Price developed its revolutionary product based on faulty beliefs about infant sleep, with no clinical research into whether it was safe, and, rather than seeking the advice of pediatricians, consulted just a single doctor...In fact, the first time Fisher-Price hired a pediatrician to evaluate the Rock ‘n Play was eight years later, as part of the company’s defense in a product liability lawsuit.”
Now, dozens of infant deaths have been linked to the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper, according to lawsuits involving the recalled sleeper — and many devastated families are left wondering how this was able to happen and what they can do about it now.
You may be eligible to pursue compensation if your baby was seriously or fatally injured as a result of an inclined infant sleeper like the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play.
Get started on your free case review today to learn what legal options may be available to you.
Additional Infant Inclined Sleeper Recalls
Multiple brands of inclined infant sleepers have been pulled from the market both before and after the Fisher-Price recall, including:
- Kids II® recalled 700,000 inclined rocking sleepers two weeks after the Fisher-Price recall due to at least five infant fatalities that occurred in the product since 2012
- Graco recalled 111,000 Little Lounger Rocking Seats™ in January 2020 due to risk of suffocation
- Kolcraft recalled the inclined sleeper accessory included in over 50,000 Cuddle ‘n Care and Preferred Position 2-in-1 Bassinets & Incline Sleepers™ in February 2020
- Summer Infant recalled over 46,000 inclined SwaddleMe By Your Bed Sleepers due to the risk of suffocation in January 2020
- The Dorel Juvenile Group USA recalled 24,000 Eddie Bauer® Slumber and Soothe Rock Bassinets™ and Disney® Baby Doze and Dream Rockers™ in July 2019 due to risk of infant fatalities
- Delta Enterprise Corp. recalled almost 6,000 branded incline sleepers with adjustable feeding positions for newborns in January 2020
- Evenflo recalled over 3,000 inclined Pillo Portable Nappers™ due to the risk of suffocation in January 2020
The above list of inclined sleepers is not exhaustive. Additionally, there are many other dangerous baby products on the market that could pose similar risks to your child. Boppy pillows can also put children at risk of SIDS and SUIDS.
If your child was injured in a different brand of inclined infant sleep products, you may be eligible to take legal action. Learn what legal options you may have today in a free case review.
Who’s Eligible to Take Legal Action
You may be eligible to file a lawsuit over your child’s inclined sleeper injuries if:
- You owned an inclined infant sleeper
- Your child was under one year of age when injured in the sleeper
- Your child required medical treatment or died as a result of the injury
Learn more about your potential legal options with a free case evaluation today.
How to File a Rock ‘n Play Sleeper Lawsuit
With the help of an experienced legal team, filing a Rock ‘n Play lawsuit can be a surprisingly simple process for you and your family.
Though every case can be different, filing a lawsuit generally follows the same steps, including:
- Determining your eligibility for legal action with a free case review
- Building your case by gathering evidence of your claim
- Filing your lawsuit against the companies responsible for harming your family
- Negotiating a settlement offer with the defendant, possibly without going to court
- Trying your case before a jury in court if a settlement is not reached
As a national law firm with decades of experience, Sokolove Law is prepared to help you understand your rights and make sense of the legal process every step of the way. Fill out the form on this page to get started today.
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What to Look for in a Rock ‘n Play Lawyer
Choosing a lawyer for a Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper lawsuit can be difficult if you don’t know what to look for.
To find a lawyer who’s capable of handling your claim, make sure you work with a law firm that offers:
- Free Case Evaluations: Sokolove Law helps our potential clients understand their legal options and claim eligibility by offering free, no-obligation case evaluations.
- Representation Nationwide: As one of the first truly national law firms, we have an office and licensed attorney in nearly every state. Our lawyers have helped clients all across the country.
- Resources and Experience: Sokolove Law has over 45 years of experience helping our clients seek justice and compensation from companies whose negligence resulted in personal injuries.
Pursuing Rock ‘n Play Sleeper Settlements
Because of the flawed design of a product that was marketed and sold as safe, you may be entitled to compensation from a Rock ‘n Play lawsuit if your baby was harmed in the sleeper.
Compensation usually comes in the form of a Rock ‘n Play settlement or jury verdict. Nothing can make up for what has happened, but you have the right to pursue justice.
What Are Rock ‘n Play Settlements?
A Rock ‘n Play settlement occurs when the defendant makes a financial offer that you and your legal team agree to.
If both parties are unable to come to terms on a Rock ‘n Play Sleeper settlement offer, we’re prepared to fight the company on your behalf in court before a judge and jury, who will then render a verdict for your case.
Get Help with Your Rock ‘n Play Lawsuit
If your child was injured or killed as a result of an inclined infant sleeper like the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper, you may be able to take legal action against the manufacturer of this dangerous product as well as the retailers that sold it to you.
An experienced product liability law firm like Sokolove Law can help you navigate all steps of the legal process during this trying time and fight on your behalf against the companies that harmed your baby.
With our resources and nationwide reach, we’ve had success against companies and corporations of this size in the past and know what it takes to secure the results you deserve. Get a free case review today to see if we may be able to help you too.
Note: All brands are trademarks of their respective companies.
Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper Lawsuit FAQs
What is a Rock ‘n Play Sleeper?
Developed in 2009, the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper is an inclined sleeper designed to hold babies on their backs at a 30-degree angle like a recliner.
Because of the unsafe nature of such an incline for infants, all models of the Rock ‘n Play Sleeper have been pulled from the market. Other brands of inclined infant sleepers have also been recalled over concerns of health risks like SIDS and SUID.
How many Rock ‘n Plays have been sold?
Since coming onto the market in 2009, Fisher-Price has sold over 4.7 million Rock ‘n Play Sleepers, all of which have now been recalled and can be returned to the company for a full refund or voucher.
Are all rock and play sleepers recalled?
Effective April 12, 2019, all models of the popular Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper have been recalled due to the potential risks they pose to infants. However, this isn’t the only inclined infant sleeper that was recalled due to infant fatalities.
Multiple companies have recalled their brand of inclined sleepers to prevent the risk of suffocation in infants, including:
- The Dorel Juvenile Group USA’s Eddie Bauer Slumber and Soothe Rock Bassinets and Disney Baby Doze and Dream Rockers
- All models of Kids II inclined rocking sleepers
- Graco Little Lounger Rocking Seats
- Summer Infant’s inclined SwaddleMe By Your Bed Sleepers
- Delta Enterprise Corp.’s branded incline sleepers with adjustable feeding positions for newborns
- Evenflo’s Pillo Portable Nappers
- Inclined sleeper accessories in Kolcraft’s Cuddle ‘n Care and Preferred Position 2-in-1 Bassinets & Incline Sleepers
If your child was injured in a brand of inclined infant sleepers not listed here, get a free case review today to see if you may be eligible to take legal action.
Is the Rock ‘n Play safe for sleep?
No, this Fisher-Price product and other inclined infant sleepers do not offer a safe sleep environment for infants, according to recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics and National Institute of Child Health and Development (NICHD).
Following the deaths of dozens of infants and over 1,000 injuries, the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper has been found to be unsafe and has since been taken off the market.
If you have a Rock ‘n Play or another inclined infant sleeper, it’s recommended that you stop using it for your infant and return it if possible. Rock ‘n Play Sleepers can be returned to Fisher-Price’s parent company Mattel Inc. for a cash refund or voucher.
If your baby suffered injuries or died as a result of an inclined infant sleeper, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue financial compensation. Get a free legal consultation today to learn what your options may be.
Can I return my Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play?
Yes — as of April 2019, all models of the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper have been recalled, meaning you can return any model of the product you may have for a full cash refund or a voucher for another Fisher-Price product.
Why were inclined infant sleepers recalled?
After dozens of infants died after rolling over in Rock ‘n Plays, the popular Fisher-Price inclined infant sleeper was pulled from the market and recalled. The company is now facing multiple lawsuits as a result of its unsafe design, and even more deaths and injuries have since been reported.
Rock ‘n Plays and other inclined sleepers allow infants to lay at an incline of 10-30 degrees on soft bedding. This design, however, violates the decades-old advice of medical experts, who recommend babies lie flat on their backs instead of at an incline.
At around 3 months old, an infant gains the ability to roll over, which can increase the baby’s risk of accidental asphyxia, particularly when at an incline or on soft bedding.
If your baby was seriously or fatally injured as a result of an inclined infant sleeper, you may be able to file a lawsuit as well. To learn more, get a free case review today.
Do I need a lawyer to file a Rock ‘n Play lawsuit?
Filing any kind of lawsuit on your own can be very challenging to do, especially if you don’t have an extensive legal background.
By working with a lawyer, you get help with every step of the legal process by those most familiar with it, so you can focus on your family during this difficult time.
An experienced Rock ‘n Play Sleeper lawyer can help:
- Explain your legal options
- Determine your eligibility to file a lawsuit
- Gather evidence for your case
- File your Rock ‘n Play Sleeper lawsuit
- Reach a Rock ‘n Play settlement before going to court
- If a settlement is not reached, try your case before a judge and jury in court
If your child was seriously or fatally injured while using an inclined sleeper like the Rock ‘n Play, you may be eligible for financial compensation. Get a free case review today to see what your legal options are.
How much do the best Rock ‘n Play lawyers cost?
Rock ‘n Play recall attorneys with Sokolove Law work on a contingency basis, which means they won’t get paid unless you do.
How much can I get from a Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper settlement?
There’s no easy way to predict how much compensation you may be entitled to in a settlement or how much a Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play settlement might be so early on for these cases. The amount of compensation a case may be worth usually varies according to several factors including the severity of injuries in your case, future loss of earning capacity and more.
Take the first step to see if you have a case. Fill out the form on this page to get started on your free case review.
