A woman from Illinois has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of Sleep Number beds following an incident where her elderly mother was injured due to a malfunction that left her trapped. She subsequently passed away due to her injuries.
In 2014, 80-year-old Rosalind “Roz” Walker proudly acquired a Sleep Number bed. Almost a decade after the acquisition, on March 1, 2023, Walker was reported to have the head of the bed elevated, as stated in the lawsuit. Walker found herself trapped for two days when the raised bed unexpectedly lowered as she walked between it and the wall behind.
Following the rescue of Walker on March 3, 2023, she was transported to the hospital for treatment of injuries that have not been detailed. She was subsequently moved to a rehabilitation facility and later received hospice care at home. The lawsuit claimed that Walker “endured suffering continuously until her passing on April 3, 2023.”
Angela Moan, the daughter of Walker, initiated the lawsuit on December 10 in St. Louis County, where the bed was originally bought before being delivered to Walker’s residence in Godfrey, Illinois. The lawsuit claims that Sleep Number and the bed’s manufacturer, Leggett & Platt, Inc., failed to provide sufficient instructions or warnings, which could have informed Mrs. Walker about the dangers of going between the bed and the wall, potentially leading to her being trapped.
The bed was said to function on a timer and lacked a manual override, preventing Walker from escaping her entrapment. Moan pointed out that there was no audible alert indicating that the head of the bed was about to lower.
Moan requested compensation for Walker’s suffering and injuries prior to death, along with the associated medical expenses, and sought $25,000 for the violation of the bed’s 25-year warranty, labeling the bed as “defective.” Moan’s legal team has requested a trial by jury.
Sleep Number has acknowledged the recent lawsuit involving the company and Leggett and Platt, the maker of its adjustable base, in a statement to KMOV, a local CBS affiliate. A lawsuit claims that a faulty adjustable base bought in 2014 played a role in the death of Rosalind Walker. The statement noted, “We understand that this incident is said to have taken place in March 2023; we were informed of the alleged incident following the lawsuit filed yesterday, December 10.”
“We extend our sincere condolences to the family of Ms. Walker for their tragic loss. Currently, our legal team is reviewing the lawsuit. Sleep Number stands by the design and safety of its products and is complying with any necessary inquiries or actions.”