Fireplace Burns

Fireplace Burn Lawsuits

Children & Adults Suffering Serious Burns Due To Design Defects

Forty-Three percent of all burns happen at home. The most common pediatric burns occur when a child places their hands on the glass door of a fireplace.

The problem is believed to exist in all Fireplaces with the following features:

• Single Pane Glass Front
• Sealed (front cannot be opened)
• Gas Heated
• Flush Mount (without warnings or standard guarding on the front)

Testing of a such a fireplace under circumstances similar to a family’s regular use recorded front glass temperatures of approximately 360 degrees Fahrenheit.

This is believed to be a result of the shallow depth of the sealed firebox (no front vent) coupled with the use of single pane as opposed to double pane glass (as is used in most designs). The temperature is well in excess of those known to cause third degree and other serious disfiguring burns.

Settlement Reached

January 28, 2011

A Settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California involving Superior and Lennox brand single pane, sealed glass front fireplaces.  Eligible consumers who have one or more Superior or Lennox brand single-pane sealed glass front gas fireplaces can now file a claim to get benefits.

In accordance with the claims process, Settlement Class members who submit a valid claim will be provided with a protective screen that is intended to reduce the risk of burns to the skin by preventing direct contact with the glass front.

The legal rights of Settlement Class members will be affected regardless of whether they take any action.  Settlement Class members that do nothing will stay in the Class, will not get any benefits, and will give up their right to sue the Defendants for the claims being resolved by this Settlement.  Settlement Class members that want to keep their right to sue the Defendants about the claims in this case must exclude themselves from the Settlement by no later than May 2, 2011.  Those wishing to stay in the Settlement Class may object to the Settlement no later than May 2, 2011.  Those wishing to stay in the Settlement Class and obtain benefits must submit claim forms no later than August 1, 2011 or 60 days after the final approval hearing, whichever comes later.

If you or any member of your family owned or was injured by a Superior or Lennox brand fireplace contact us immediately by filling out the simple Free Case Evaluation form to the right.