February 19, 2026 — A consumer has raised significant safety concerns regarding the “Home” button feature on a La-Z-Boy power reclining sofa, citing a potential entrapment risk for children and pets. This report highlights the perceived hazard of the automatic return function for the motorized footrest.
Product Details
Product: La-Z-Boy power reclining sofa
Incident Overview
The consumer, who recently purchased a La-Z-Boy power reclining sofa with motorized seats, reported a significant safety concern on January 17, 2026, just one day after taking delivery of the product. The core of the concern revolves around the sofa’s “Home” button, which, when pressed, automatically returns the motorized seat and footrest to their original, closed positions.
The consumer noted that this automatic function appears to lack a mechanism to stop the motion once initiated. This raises a critical safety question: what if a child or a pet is positioned underneath the raised footrest when the “Home” button is activated? The consumer expressed fear that the footrest could descend without interruption, potentially crushing or cutting in half a child or animal.
As of the initial report and an update on February 4, 2026, no actual incident of entrapment or injury has occurred with this specific product. The report serves as a proactive warning from the consumer about a potential “horrible accident just waiting to happen” due to the design of the automatic closing feature and the perceived absence of a safety stop or lock. The updated report further emphasized that there is “no locking feature” on either the remote or the remote cradle, where the “Home” button is located.
Safety Concerns
The concerns raised by the consumer highlight several potential risks associated with the automatic “Home” button feature on power reclining furniture:
- Immediate Dangers: The primary and most severe immediate danger is the risk of crushing injuries to small children or pets. If a child’s head, limbs, or entire body, or an animal, is underneath a raised footrest when the “Home” button is pressed, the descending footrest could exert significant force. This could lead to severe contusions, fractures, internal injuries, or even fatalities.
- Long-Term Risks: Injuries sustained from such an incident could result in long-term disability, chronic pain, or psychological trauma for those affected.
- Who Might Be Affected: Young children, especially toddlers and infants, who may crawl or play unsupervised around furniture, are particularly vulnerable. Small pets, such as cats and small dogs, are also at high risk of entrapment. Even adults could potentially trap a hand or foot if not paying close attention.
- Property Damage Potential: While the primary concern is bodily injury, there’s a lesser potential for property damage if an object gets caught and causes mechanical strain or damage to the reclining mechanism.
The consumer’s report suggests that the automatic, non-interruptible nature of the “Home” button’s closing sequence is the central point of concern, creating a perceived hazard in a common household environment.
What Consumers Should Do
Given the concerns raised, consumers who own La-Z-Boy power reclining furniture or similar products with automatic “Home” features should take the following precautions:
- Exercise Extreme Caution and Supervision: Always ensure that children and pets are clear of the reclining mechanisms, especially underneath footrests, before operating the “Home” button or any motorized functions. Constant supervision of children and pets around reclining furniture is essential.
- Understand Your Product’s Features: Carefully read the owner’s manual to understand all operating procedures and safety features of your power reclining furniture.
- Test Safety Features (Carefully): If your product has an automatic return feature, carefully test how it operates and if there are any ways to interrupt the motion, *without* putting anyone at risk. (Note: The manufacturer response below addresses this specifically).
- Educate Household Members: Ensure all users of the furniture, especially older children, understand the potential risks and safe operating procedures.
- Consider Safety Devices: If available for your specific model, consider exploring any child safety locks or features that might prevent unintentional activation.
- Report Incidents: If you experience an incident or identify a significant safety concern with any consumer product, report it to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) at www.cpsc.gov.
Manufacturer’s Response
La-Z-Boy Incorporated responded to the incident report on January 27, 2026, stating:
“Product safety and quality are high priorities for La-Z-Boy, Inc. It’s important to note that if the leg rest is in motion, engaging the Home button a second time will stop the downward motion. In addition, La-Z-Boy leg rests are equipped with a leg rest entrapment prevention feature, greatly reducing the closing force of the leg rest.”
This response indicates that, contrary to the consumer’s initial perception, there *is* a mechanism to stop the motion by pressing the “Home” button a second time. Furthermore, La-Z-Boy claims its leg rests feature an “entrapment prevention feature” designed to reduce closing force, which would mitigate the severity of potential entrapment incidents.
Consumers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with these stated safety features and follow manufacturer guidelines for safe operation.
Legal Help Available
If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective product or suffered property damage due to a product malfunction, you may be entitled to compensation. The experienced product liability attorneys at Farzan Law understand the complexities of defective product cases and can help you navigate the legal process. Farzan Law is a California based Personal Injury law firm focusing on protecting the rights of those wrongfully injured.
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Note: This information is based on incident reports provided by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. If you find information that is incorrect, please contact us immediately so we can correct the post to reflect accurate information.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is not intended to be legal or medical advice. This article is based on publicly available incident reports. The incidents mentioned have not necessarily been independently verified or adjudicated.