3 settle injury lawsuits over Martha Stewart chair

DES MOINES, Iowa -- A settlement has been reached in lawsuits filed by three people who had parts of fingers snipped off by Martha Stewart lounge chairs sold at Kmart stores.

Des Moines attorney Guy Cook says the cases against Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and Kmart Corp. were settled this week.

Cook’s clients, a young Kentucky girl, an Illinois college student and a New York woman, claimed that the chairs cut off parts of their fingers. Cook argued that the chair’s legs are defective and snap forward, “serving as a guillotine” for fingers caught between the chair and the legs.

Cook says the settlements are confidential but that his clients are satisfied.

A Martha Stewart spokeswoman declined comment Thursday. A telephone message left for a Kmart spokesman wasn’t returned.