Hundreds seek compensation after sofa rash outbreak

Recently, a news item surfaced which claimed approximately 1400 people had suffered damage to their skin due to a fungicide used in the manufacture of leather sofas that were manufactured in China. However, lawyers dealing with the claims made by these people have also said that tens of thousands more people could be affected and that the authorities should make retailers take them back. Doctors have so far treated hundreds of people affected by the sofas, which are said to cause blisters, rashes and burns and have resulted in some people having to stay in hospital for up to four weeks.

UK high-street retailer, Argos, who sold approximately 30,000 of the sofas, carried out an investigation into the claims and discovered what it believes is the cause of the sofa dermatitis outbreak; a substance known as DMF which is largely used in the production of acrylic fibres and plastics. In the case of the sofas, however, it was stored in sachets inside the sofas to prevent them from going mouldy during transit and storage. Exacerbating problems is the fact that the fungicide is said to have a very low vapour point and, as a result, as it becomes warm, more of it is released. But, while this isn’t the news anyone wants to hear, especially in the summer months, there is help at hand.

A court ruling made by The Honourable Mr Justice Treacy in June 2008 ensured that people suffering from sofa rash will have their claims dealt with under a defective product Group Litigation Order, the largest every recorded in England and Wales. While Argos removed all the contaminated sofas from sale and gave refunds to anyone who bought one, other retailers have offered refunds but have not yet ordered a full product recall — a move many legal firms in the UK consider essential to curtail the number of people affected by the fungicide.

Experts have estimated that ?10 million could be paid out in compensation to consumers, with that figure rising if the problem isn’t isolated to current batches. Dermatologists have stressed however, that the potency of DMF does deteriorate over time and so those unaffected by the sofas initially will be unlikely to suffer from any skin complaints.

For China, however, the sofa rash outbreak marks the latest in a long line of high profile scandals surrounding the safety of its exports, with items such as pet food, toothpaste and a variety of toys previously being discovered as defective.

Paul McIndoe writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.