Zinus Class Action Says Mattress Leaked Glass Fibers

A class action lawsuit has been filed against mattress company Zinus, with plaintiffs claiming the mattress can open and release hazardous glass fibers.

Plaintiffs Amanda Chandler and Robert Durham say that once the outer cover of the said mattresses are unzipped, large glass fibers can spill out, causing serious injuries and property damage.

The Zinus class action lawsuit states that on Feb. 14 2020, a news piece entitled “Hidden Hazards” aired on a CBS affiliate in St. Louis documenting “the danger lurking in your mattress.” The news story outlined the plaintiffs’ experience in this case when the Zinus mattress released a large amount of glass fibers, causing life-threatening injuries to their family.

Chandler claims she purchased the Zinus mattress from a Walmart in the summer of 2019. She alleges the mattress contained a removable outer cover with a zipper. In addition, she states that there was a tag on the outer cover which read, “62% Glass Fibers.”

The mattress tag did not inform the customer that the outer cover should not be removed, nor that the removal of the outer cover would cause the exposure of the contents of the mattress, namely the glass fibers, the Zinus class action lawsuit claims.

On Jan 20. 2020, Chandler says she removed the outer cover of her mattress in order to clean it in her washing machine. While she was washing the mattress, her sons were having fun jumping on the mattress, she alleges.

The next day, Durham, Chandler’s husband reportedly noticed that his skin was very itchy and irritated. At some point, he discovered that his entire body was covered with small, hard to see glass fibers, the plaintiffs argue.

The plaintiffs claim they noticed that their entire home was filled with the little glass pieces. They state that “tiny shards of glass were embedded in all parts of their home, both inside and out, including their clothes, bedding, towels, appliances, carpet, tile, walls, tools, electronics, and inside their cars.”

The release of the glass fibers caused all of the family members to have dermatitis and Durham has had several shards of glass fiber removed from the back of his neck, the plaintiffs claim. 

In addition, the severity of the family’s injuries are unknown, as they could have inhaled a significant amount of glass fibers, the plaintiffs say.

After discovering that the source of the fibers was the mattress, Chandler immediately removed the mattress inside their home to the outdoors, the plaintiffs aver.

The family is now living in a hotel as they are unable to return to their home due to the fiberglass contamination, notes the Zunis class action lawsuit. 

The plaintiffs allege that the glass shards contained in the mattresses are for fire retardant purposes and are larger than the type of fiberglass than is used in household insulation.

The plaintiffs also state that, “exposure to glass fibers may cause eye, skin, and upper respiratory tract irritation. Glass fibers that reach the lower part of a person’s lungs increases the chances of adverse health effects. Glass fibers that become embedded in human skin may require surgical intervention for removal.”

The cost of cleaning a house which was exposed to glass fibers can cost tens of thousands of dollars and experts may advise that the residents leave the house until it can be professionally cleaned, the plaintiffs argue.

The defendants in this class action lawsuit allegedly knew about the dangers of taking off the outer cover of the mattress as they responded to a message board posting that removing the mattress cover could jeopardize the systems within the mattress, according to the plaintiffs.

The Zinus class action claims that nowhere on the warning does the company mention words such as fiberglass, glass fibers, or that the mattress contains glass. In addition, the warning does not state that removing the outer cover can cause the mattress content to be released into the environment, causing significant injuries to the customers, the plaintiffs maintain.

The family argues that they wouldn’t have purchased the mattress, or would have paid less for the item, had the design defects been known to them.

The defendants have violated the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and are guilty of fraudulent concealment/fraudulent omission, and unjust enrichment, claims the Zinus class action lawsuit.

Potential Class Members include: “All persons who purchased an Affected Mattress in the United States, which was manufactured by Zinus and contained glass fibers.”

Did you purchase a Zinus mattress that released glass fibers? Leave a message in the comments section below.

The plaintiffs are represented by Christopher F. Cueto of the Law Office of Christopher Cueto Ltd.

The Zinus Mattress Glass Fiber Class Action Lawsuit is Chandler, et al. v. Amazon.com LLC, et al., Case No. 3:20-cv-00265, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.

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