Bradford man facing long compensation battle over 'toxic' sofa

19/01/2012

A Bradford man has been told he could be facing a long battle to win personal injury compensation after he suffered severe burns from his sofa.

According to the Bradford Telegraph, Stefan Wasylkiw, suffered severe chemical burns to his face and arm from a leather sofa he bought from Brigella Mills Carpets and Beds.

He explained that he had been happy with the products for nine months, but that one morning he felt immense pain.

"I had just had breakfast and I was sat on the sofa watching the news and the next thing I was jumping about, screaming and crying.

"I didn't know what was happening and then I saw a purple film coming down over my left eye," he told the newspaper.

Mr Wasylkiw was taken to a burns specialist who told him she had never seen burns like it in her 12 years as a doctor.

According to Mr Wasylkiw, the doctor then explained a number of sofas made in China contained sachets of dimethyl fumarate, used to kill bugs during transportation, which if they burst can cause chemical burns.

Mr Wasylkiw has been told that his arm could take another ten years to completely heal from the chemical burns he suffered.

Solicitors are now investigating where the sofas were manufactured, how they were imported into the UK and whether he could join a Group Litigation.

A Brigella Mills spokesman said Mr Wasylkiw had been offered a credit note for the value of the sofas, or would be offered the money back if his claim against the manufacturer was successful or the sofa was proven to be the cause of the burns.

Last year, a number of high street chains agreed to pay up to GBP 20 million to 2,000 people who received chemical burns from sofas in similar circumstances.

Posted by Trevor Baker ADNFCR-2070-ID-801269536-ADNFCR