$8 Million Awarded To Burnsville Teen In Sled Accident
More than 50,000 people are injured on sleds annually, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
A 17-year-old Burnsville teen paralyzed from a sledding accident five years ago was awarded nearly $8 million after a jury found that the sled's manufacturer didn't provide adequate warnings or instructions for its safe use.
During the three-week trial in Hennepin County District Court, professors, engineers and design experts testified that the sled was "inherently dangerous" because of its "abrupt, tub-like shape" in front, and sharp, protruding front tip prone to digging into bumps. Lawyers also said that Paris and Kmart Corp., which distributed the sled, didn't test it for safety.
