Families booking an Airbnb or vacation rental expect a safe environment for their children. Unfortunately, many short-term rental properties contain unsecured dressers, bookshelves, televisions, and other heavy furniture that can tip over with little force. For young children, these accidents often result in catastrophic injuries or even wrongful death.
At Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum Bluestein, LLP (DDRB), we represent families whose children were seriously injured because a vacation rental owner or property manager failed to eliminate preventable hazards.
Why Furniture Tip-Overs Occur
Young children naturally climb, pull open drawers, and reach for objects placed on top of furniture. When heavy furniture is not anchored to the wall, it can become unstable and fall forward.
Congress addressed this danger through the Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth (STURDY) Act, which establishes stronger safety standards for clothing storage units sold in the United States. While the law primarily regulates manufacturers, vacation rental owners still have a duty to maintain reasonably safe premises for their guests.
Common hazards include:
- Dressers and chests that are not secured to wall studs
- Flat-screen televisions resting on unstable entertainment centers
- Freestanding bookshelves and display cabinets
- Heavy furniture placed in children’s bedrooms without anti-tip hardware
- Poorly assembled or damaged furniture that has become unstable over time
Injuries Can Be Life-Changing
Furniture tip-over accidents often involve tremendous force because many dressers and televisions weigh well over 100 pounds. Small children are particularly vulnerable.
These accidents may cause:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Skull fractures
- Crush injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Fatal chest compression or asphyxiation
Many children require emergency surgery, lengthy hospitalization, rehabilitation, and ongoing medical care.
Can a Vacation Rental Owner Be Held Responsible?
In many cases, yes.
Under Florida premises liability law, Airbnb hosts, vacation rental owners, and property management companies owe guests a duty to maintain reasonably safe conditions. If they knew—or should have known—that heavy furniture was unsecured or unstable, they may be liable for the injuries that result.
Potentially responsible parties include:
- Vacation rental owners
- Airbnb or VRBO property managers
- Resort operators
- Furniture manufacturers if the product itself was defective
Liability depends on the specific facts of each case, including whether reasonable inspections would have identified the hazard.
Evidence That Can Strengthen a Claim
After a furniture tip-over accident, preserving evidence is critical. Helpful evidence often includes:
- Photographs of the furniture before it is moved
- Pictures showing the absence of wall anchors
- The furniture’s manufacturer and model number
- Medical records documenting the child’s injuries
- The vacation rental listing and advertising materials
- Inspection or maintenance records, when available
Prompt investigation can prevent important evidence from disappearing after the property is cleaned or repaired.
Frequently Asked Question
Is an Airbnb host liable if a dresser falls on a child?
Potentially. If a host failed to secure heavy furniture or allowed an unsafe condition to exist in a vacation rental, they may be responsible for injuries caused by that hazard. Every case depends on the specific facts, including whether the owner exercised reasonable care to protect guests.
Contact DDRB
A furniture tip-over is often entirely preventable. When a child’s injuries result from an unsafe vacation rental, families deserve answers and accountability.
The attorneys at Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum Bluestein, LLP investigate vacation rental injury claims throughout Florida and fight to recover compensation for children and families harmed by preventable hazards.