The 23-year-old woman claims ENO’s ‘deceptive marketing’ led to the accident.
In July 2017, Boston resident Erin Field was sitting in an ENO hammock between two brick chimneys when one collapsed on her. The accident left her paralyzed from the neck down, and now, after multiple surgeries and rehab, Field has filed a lawsuit against Eagle Nest Outfitters.
According to the lawsuit, ENO Hammocks promoted a marketing campaign on social media, that “included a photo caption contest which encouraged individuals to share pictures of hammocks hanging in unusual places.”
Field and her brother claim that if it weren’t for the campaign, they may not have chosen to hang the hammock from the rooftop chimneys. Field is suing ENO for a breach of warranty, failure to warn, and negligent marketing. The court will determine the amount of damages at trial.
Chimney collapses on woman lying in hammock:https://t.co/IsvuDI72T1 @Boston25 News #NorthEnd #Boston @universalhub pic.twitter.com/7vE9fjtuLX
— Peter Wilson (@PetesWire) July 11, 2017
ENO Hammock Accidents
Prior to Field’s injuries, similar accidents have happened as a result of ENO hammocks failing. In 2016, a 13-year-old girl died after a brick column similarly fell on her. She had been using the same ENO DoubleNest hammock as Field, with the accompanying Atlas straps.
And just a week before Field’s lawsuit was filed, two sisters died when a brick pillar to which they had attached their hammock collapsed on them.
ENO’s Warning about Hammocks
ENO’s campaign did remind users to follow safety instructions when hanging hammocks. However, “it did not warn against or prohibit hanging them from masonry structures, non weight-bearing walls, or non-trees,” according to Field’s lawsuit.
ENO currently has a photo contest on its page with the following safety guidelines:
“Keep it safe. Responsible hammocking is our number one priority, so please no stacked hammocks or photos of hammocks hung too high. Check out our set up guides on each product page if you have questions about proper set up.”
