Window Blind Cord Strangulation: Hidden Dangers and Your Legal Rights
Every parent wants to create a safe home. But a silent and often-overlooked hazard still lingers in many households: corded window blinds. Over the past few decades, hundreds of young children have died and even more have been injured after becoming entangled in window blind cords. These incidents happen quickly, often without noise or struggle, and many families don’t realize how dangerous a single cord can be until it’s too late.
We’ve seen firsthand the devastation these preventable tragedies can bring to families. We represented the family of Elsie Mahe, a vibrant three-year-old who died in 2016 after becoming entangled in window blind cord at her family’s home in Utah. That case, Mahe v. Century Blinds, resulted in a $25 million verdict in a Utah product liability and wrongful death trial—a landmark outcome that helped hold a window blind manufacturer accountable for dangerous corded designs, and fueled industry change for new window coverings being sold in big box stores.
So why are these products still in homes? Despite voluntary safety standards dating back to the 1990s and newer safety standards recognized by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), countless older corded blinds remain in use, especially in rental properties, child care settings, and homes with outdated furnishings which may not meet today’s safety standards. Many parents assume that if a product is sold in stores, it must be safe. Unfortunately, that’s not always true.
In Elsie’s case, the jury heard evidence that safer designs were readily available, including cordless blinds and inexpensive cord-cleat devices, yet the manufacturer failed to include them or adequately warn and educate parents with children in the home about these risks. According to trial testimony, safety components could have been included for pennies per unit, an oversight the jury deemed reckless.
If a child is seriously injured or killed due to a corded window covering, families may have a legal claim for negligence, product liability and/or wrongful death. These cases often involve allegations of defective design, failure to warn, or the availability of safer alternatives. It’s critical to preserve the blinds, take photographs of the scene, and seek legal guidance right away.
We work with engineers, product safety experts, and consult with national child safety organizations, such as Parents for Window Blind Safety, to investigate and pursue these complex cases. Their advocacy and technical insight help support efforts to hold manufacturers accountable and push for safer standards.
Prevention remains essential. Parents and caregivers should:
- Replace older corded blinds with cordless models
- Cut existing cords or safely secure them away from the reach of children
- Move cribs, beds, and furniture away from windows
- Check whether existing blinds meet the current ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2022 safety standard
You can also review guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CPSC on protecting children from strangulation hazards in the home.
If your child has been harmed by a corded window covering, you’re not alone, and you don’t have to take on powerful manufacturers by yourself.
You can contact us for a free, confidential consultation. We’re here to stand by you and hold negligent companies accountable.