EAST ST. LOUIS – Sandra Northway of Alton sued the makers of Teeter inversion tables and the QVC shopping network in U.S. district court on May 9, claiming a defective table caused her husband Robert Northway to asphyxiate upside down.
Her counsel Erin Phillips claimed Teeter marketed its product for back pain, herniated and degenerative disks, sciatica, tension, spasms, spinal stenosis, spinal curvature and more.
She claimed Teeter stated practically anyone could benefit from inversion, and normal healthy individuals were able to invert.
Robert and Sandra allegedly viewed a Teeter advertisement on QVC in December 2020, making similar statements.
Phillips claimed they believed a table was a safe and effective way to alleviate Robert’s pain.
She added that they purchased a Fit Spine X3 inversion table with Flex Tech bed from QVC.
Phillips wrote that on May 17, 2021, Robert “became trapped in an inverted position, unable to cause the table to return to an uninverted or upright position.”
She wrote that for about 25 minutes he “struggled to right himself while he shouted for help trying to get the attention of a neighbor or someone else who could help him.”
Phillips claimed the table lacked adequate equipment mechanisms that would prevent a user from becoming stuck.
She claimed it lacked adequate warnings or instructions to apprise a buyer or a user of the risk of becoming trapped.
Phillips asserted counts of wrongful death, product liability, fraud, and loss of consortium against Teeter and QVC.
She also asserted a survival action against them stating Robert suffered anxiety, horror, fear of impending death, mental disturbance, pain, and other intangible losses.
Bradley Young entered an appearance in association with Phillips.
They practice at Unsell, Schatnik, and Phillips in Wood River.
The court clerk randomly assigned Magistrate Judge Gilbert Sison, who will preside unless a party declines consent to jurisdiction.
If that happens the clerk will assign a district judge.