Major Recall Affects Over 300,000 Families
When you reach for items in your kitchen cabinets or help your children access the counter safely, you trust that your step stool will protect your family. Unfortunately, Cosco has received 34 reports of the safety bar detaching or breaking, including two incidents resulting in head injuries from their popular 2-Step Kitchen Steppers. This massive recall affects about 302,000 units sold across the United States, and Houston families deserve to know their legal rights.
At Joe I. Zaid & Associates, our experienced product liability attorneys fight for families injured by defective household products. We understand that when manufacturers prioritize profits over safety, innocent people suffer serious injuries that could have been prevented.
The Dangerous Cosco Kitchen Stepper Recall: What Happened?
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a major recall involving Cosco 2-Step Kitchen Steppers manufactured by Dorel Home Furnishings. The safety bar can detach or break while in use, posing serious fall and injury hazards to consumers. These steppers were sold at Target, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, and BJ’s Wholesale Club stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com, Wayfair.com, and Overstock.com from February 2021 through July 2025 for between $56 and $70.
The recalled models include:
- 11349WHG1E
- 11349GRN1E
- 11349NVY1E
- 11349WHG2
- 11349GRN4
- 11349GRN12
- 11349WHG12C
- 11349WHG12W
- 11349WHG4F
- 11349CBWH4T
Consumer Reports criticized the company’s response, noting that “parents bought this product because they thought the safety bar would help keep their children safe” and expressing disappointment that Dorel isn’t offering its customers the option to receive a full refund as part of this recall.
Understanding Kitchen Stepper Injuries: More Common Than You Think
Step stool and ladder-related injuries affect hundreds of thousands of Americans annually. Every year 500,000 people are treated for ladder-related injuries and approximately 300 of these incidents prove to be fatal, according to Industrial Safety & Hygiene News. Statistics published by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission show that nearly 165,000 Americans are treated for ladder-related injuries every year.
Kitchen steppers pose unique dangers because families often use them with children present. The so-called safety bar on the Cosco Kitchen Stepper stool gave parents a false sense of security, creating situations where children and adults trusted a defective safety feature.
Common Kitchen Stepper Injuries Include:
- Head and brain injuries from falls
- Spinal cord damage and back injuries
- Broken bones in arms, legs, and ribs
- Cuts and lacerations from sharp edges
- Internal injuries from impact with counters or appliances
These injuries often require extensive medical treatment, physical therapy, and can result in permanent disabilities that affect your ability to work and enjoy life.
When Manufacturers Fail: Product Liability Law in Texas
Texas law protects consumers injured by defective products through strict product liability statutes. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 82.005(b) establishes clear standards that manufacturers must meet, and when they fail, injured victims have the right to seek compensation.
Three Types of Product Defects in Texas:
1. Design Defects: When the product’s fundamental design creates unreasonable dangers. In kitchen stepper cases, this might involve inadequate weight distribution, unstable platforms, or insufficient safety features.
2. Manufacturing Defects: When production errors create dangerous products that differ from the intended design. Examples include improper assembly, missing components, or substandard materials.
3. Marketing Defects (Failure to Warn): When manufacturers fail to provide adequate warnings about known dangers or proper usage instructions.
Design defects are more likely to become mass torts because the nature of the error places all possible consumers of the product at risk, which explains why the Cosco recall affects hundreds of thousands of families.
Your Legal Rights After a Kitchen Stepper Injury
If you or your child suffered injuries from a defective kitchen stepper, you may be entitled to significant compensation. In some cases, the manufacturer of a step stool can be held liable for injuries caused by a defective step stool. Texas law allows injured victims to recover damages for:
- Medical expenses (current and future treatment costs)
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- Pain and suffering from physical and emotional trauma
- Disability accommodations and ongoing care needs
- Wrongful death damages in fatal cases
The experienced product liability attorneys at Joe I. Zaid & Associates understand that according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are more than 4.5 million ladder injuries annually in the United States alone, and many could be prevented with proper design and manufacturing standards.
Why Choose Joe I. Zaid & Associates for Your Kitchen Stepper Injury Case
Our personal injury firm brings unique advantages to product liability cases:
- Insurance Industry Experience: Joe Zaid’s background working for a major insurance company provides invaluable insight into how manufacturers and insurers defend these cases
- Proven Track Record: We’ve secured millions in settlements for injured clients, including multiple seven-figure recoveries
- Client-Centered Approach: We understand the physical, emotional, and financial challenges that product injuries create for families
- No Win, No Fee: You pay nothing unless we secure compensation for your injuries
Product liability cases are amongst the most complicated legal cases because they often involve complex engineering issues, industry standards, and powerful corporate defendants with extensive legal resources.
Take Action: Protecting Your Family and Your Rights
If you own a recalled Cosco kitchen stepper, take these immediate steps:
- Stop using the safety bar immediately and store the stepper away from children
- Document any injuries with photographs and medical records
- Preserve the defective product as crucial evidence
- Contact Joe I. Zaid & Associates for a free consultation about your legal rights
Consumers injured by defective products have the right to seek legal recourse for their injuries and losses. Product liability law allows consumers to file lawsuits against manufacturers, distributors, and retailers if a product defect causes injury.
The Broader Impact: Holding Manufacturers Accountable
Product liability lawsuits serve a crucial purpose beyond individual compensation. Through our efforts, manufacturers have been compelled to re-engineer unsafe products and enhance safety practices, undoubtedly preventing injuries and saving lives. When we hold companies accountable for defective products, we help protect other families from similar injuries.
Recent product liability verdicts demonstrate the serious nature of these cases:
- $4.7 million: A tire salesman was using a stepladder to get a tire when the rivets of the ladder failed, causing the salesman to fall, suffering serious injuries
- $11.1 million: A man was using a ladder to clean the gutters on his home. One side of the ladder collapsed and the man fell to the ground, suffering serious head injuries
These verdicts reflect the serious, life-altering consequences that defective products can cause and the accountability that Texas law demands from manufacturers.
Don’t Wait: Time Limits Apply
Texas law imposes a two-year statute of limitations on product liability claims. This means you must file your lawsuit within two years of your injury, or you may lose your right to compensation forever. Additionally, immediate investigation and determining your legal rights to establish the manufacturer’s liability for damages is required.
Contact Joe I. Zaid & Associates Today
Kitchen steppers should help families safely access high shelves and involve children in cooking activities. When defective designs put your family at risk, we fight to hold manufacturers accountable. Our experienced product liability attorneys will investigate your case thoroughly, work with engineering experts to prove the defect, and negotiate aggressively for the compensation you deserve.
Call (346) 756-9243 for your free consultation today. We handle product liability cases on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we win your case.
Joe I. Zaid & Associates has offices conveniently located throughout Houston, and we serve clients throughout Houston, Harris County, and across Texas. Don’t let a defective product manufacturer escape responsibility for your injuries. Contact us today to learn how we can help you and your family recover from this preventable tragedy.
