Description of Event or Problem · 1
I ORDERED A REDMAN CHIEF 107-ZRX STANDING POWER WHEELCHAIR DIRECTLY FROM (B)(4), MANUFACTURER: REDMAN POWER CHAIR/MEDI-CHAIR, LLC. I WAS INTERESTED IN THE CHAIR BECAUSE IT HAD THE LOWEST SEAT HEIGHT OF ANY STANDING CHAIR AT THE TIME, ALLOWING ME TO SIT NATURALLY AT A DESK OR CHAIR. A SALESMAN CAME TO MY HOME, AND HAD ME TRY OUT THE CHAIR FOR A FEW HOURS. I LIKED THE CHAIR, BUT MY FAMILY AND I HAD MAINTENANCE CONCERNS ABOUT BUYING A CHAIR FROM AN OUT-OF-STATE VENDOR. THE SALESMAN, (B)(4), ASSURED US THAT IF REPAIRS WERE NEEDED, THE PARTS WOULD BE SHIPPED TO MY HOME AND THEY WOULD WORK WITH A LOCAL CONTRACTOR TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS IN MY HOME. WHAT I EXPECTED WAS A SAFE, FULLY FUNCTIONAL, AND WELL-FITTING CHAIR, ESPECIALLY WHEN I HAD (B)(6) IN OUT OF POCKET COSTS FOR FEATURES THAT MY INSURANCE WOULD NOT COVER. AFTER THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF NORMAL USE, THE RECLINE ACTUATOR BROKE. REDMAN SHIPPED THE REPLACEMENT PART TO MY HOME, BUT SENT ME TO A LOCAL MOTORCYCLE MACHINE SHOP RATHER THAN HIRING A QUALIFIED CONTRACTOR TO COME OUT TO MY HOME, AS THE SALESMAN HAD PROMISED. IT TOOK HIM ABOUT A WEEK TO REPLACE THE PART. CLEARLY, (B)(4) HAD BEEN LESS THAN HONEST WITH ME BEFORE THE SALE. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING OF MY PROBLEMS WITH THE CHAIR AND COMPANY. I SOON DISCOVERED THE CHAIR HAD MANY DESIGN FLAWS THAT MADE THE CHAIR DANGEROUS AND UNCOMFORTABLE TO USE AND KEY FEATURES THAT I HAD PAID EXTRA FOR DID NOT WORK. THE SEAT CUSHION DOES NOT COVER MY BACKSIDE PROPERLY WHILE IT MOVES INTO A STANDING POSITION, CAUSING THE SHARP, METAL EDGE OF THE SEAT PAN TO SCRAPE MY TAILBONE AREA IF I ATTEMPTED TO STAND COMPLETELY. WHEN DRIVING THE CHAIR WHILE STANDING (A KEY "PATENT PENDING" SELLING POINT), THE CHAIR WOBBLES BACK AND FORTH, SO MUCH SO THAT MY FAMILY, COWORKERS AND I WERE AFRAID THAT THE CHAIR WOULD FALL FORWARD, WITH ME IN IT. THIS ISSUE WAS NOT NOTICEABLE UNTIL AFTER THE REAR STABILIZING WHEELS HAD BEEN RAISED, CREATING A CATCH-22 SITUATION; EITHER THE CHAIR WOBBLES WHILE STANDING WITH THE REAR WHEELS UP, OR IT CANNOT SCALE A RAMP OF NEARLY ANY INCLINE WITH THE WHEELS DOWN. WHEN USED WITH THE (B)(6) WHEELCHAIR-VEHICLE DOCKING SYSTEM IN MY VAN (COMPATIBILITY ORDERED AS AN OPTIONAL FEATURE FROM REDMAN), THE CHAIR TIPS BACK AND FORTH IN THE LOCKING DEVICE AS THE VAN ACCELERATES AND DECELERATES. NO OTHER CHAIR I'VE OWNED WITH (B)(6) HAS DONE THIS. ALTHOUGH (B)(4) MEASURED ME FOR A CUSTOM FIT PRIOR TO ORDERING THE CHAIR, THE SEAT ON THE CHAIR IS SO DEEP THAT IF I SIT ALL THE WAY BACK IN THE SEAT, SO THAT MY BACK TOUCHES THE SEAT BACK, THERE IS NO ROOM BETWEEN THE BACK OF MY LEGS AND THE FRONT OF THE CUSHION. THIS CAUSES DISCOMFORT AND CIRCULATION ISSUES FOR MY LEGS. THE SEAT BELT IS SO LONG THAT EACH SIDE FALLS OUT OF THE SIDES OF THE CHAIR WHEN IT IS UNLATCHED, WHERE I CANNOT REACH THEM. THEY GOT CAUGHT IN THE WHEELS AND TORE. DUE TO THE SAFETY CONCERNS RAISED BY THE ABOVE ISSUES, I STOPPED USING THE CHAIR, AND HAVE NOT USED IT SINCE. THE SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN OFFERED BY REDMAN'S TECH WERE BAND AIDS FOR WHAT ARE DESIGN FLAWS OF THE CHAIR, WHICH HE ADMITTED MAY OR MAY NOT SOLVE THE ISSUES, FOR EXAMPLE: ADDING A SMALL PAD MAY PROPERLY COVER MY BACKSIDE, BUT IT ALSO MAY NOT FIT PROPERLY (RATHER THAN CHANGING THE SEAT DEPTH). ADDING WEIGHTS TO THE BACK OF THE CHAIR MAY SOLVE THE WOBBLING, BUT WOULD LIKELY ALSO CAUSE THE CHAIR TO HAVE ISSUES SCALING INCLINES AGAIN (THE COUNTERBALANCE BATTERY PLATFORM IN THE BACK WAS SUPPOSED TO COMPENSATE FOR STANDING WEIGHT ON ITS OWN; AGAIN, A FAILED SELLING POINT ON THE CHAIR). USING A STRAP OR CORD TO TIE MY CHAIR DOWN DURING TRANSIT (WHICH DEFEATS THE WHOLE POINT OF THE (B)(6)). THEY HAVE REFUSED TO RETURN THE CHAIR AND HAVE MADE FALSE STATEMENTS TO MY INSURER AND THE (B)(6) OFFICE, IN AN APPARENT ATTEMPT TO PAINT ME AS AN UNREASONABLE CONSUMER.