Firm to Pay $113,000 in Lawsuit Over Chair Ads

A Chatsworth company that purportedly claimed that its lounge chairs were effective in treating high blood pressure, heart disease and bad backs Thursday agreed to pay nearly $113,000 to settle a consumer protection lawsuit brought by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

Contour West, formerly known as Contour of California, was accused of misrepresenting the health benefits of the chair. It also was accused of telling customers that the chair was endorsed by the American Medical Assn. and the American Chiropractic Assn. and of selling chairs that were supposed to be custom-made but actually came from a factory.

Owner Isaac Shepherd and his former partner, Abraham Hargil, signed a stipulated judgment without admitting wrongdoing. Contour sold about 3,000 of the chairs, priced from $2,000 to $3,000, from early 1983 to mid-1984, the period in which the district attorney’s office alleges the false advertising took place. Deputy Dist. Atty. Thomas A. Papageorge said the company is still selling chairs but has modified its advertising claims.