Commitments and Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2018

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

11. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

From time to time the Company is subject to legal proceedings, claims and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business, including matters relating to product liability claims. Such product liability claims sometimes involving wrongful death or injury have historically been covered by product liability insurance, which provided coverage for each claim up to $1,000,000. During the third quarter of 2014, the Company did not renew its product liability insurance since the renewal policy amount was cost prohibitive. As of August 15, 2017, the Company has obtained Product Liability Insurance, although prior claims are not covered under the new policy. The policy is prepaid and will remain in effect until its renewal date of August 14, 2018.

As previously disclosed, the Company, Trebor and other third parties, are each named as a co-defendants under an action filed in March 2015 in the Circuit Court of Broward County under Case No. CACE15-03238 by the Estate of Ernesto Rodriguez, claiming wrongful death and products liability resulting in the decedent’s drowning death while using a Brownie’s Third Lung product. This claim falls outside the Company’s period of insurance coverage. Plaintiff has claimed damages exceeding $1,000,000. A default judgment was entered against Trebor in 2015 due to its failure to timely respond to the complaint. The Company has obtained different legal representation in this matter and attempted to have the default set aside. On November 2, 2016, the court granted plaintiff’s motion for sanctions against our company for frivolous litigation relating to our attempt to have the matter dismissed and granted the plaintiff’s motion to strike our motion for summary judgment due to our initial default. The Company believes the claim to be a Workers Compensation claim relating exclusively against other non-affiliated defendants and without merit, and will aggressively defend this action and appeal the default judgment. In the event Trebor is unable to overturn the default judgment and the defendants are determined to be at fault, we would seek to allocate damages among all of the other parties, including the plaintiff. At this time, the amount of any loss, or range of loss, cannot be reasonably estimated due to the undetermined validity of any claim or claims made by plaintiff and the mitigating factors among the parties. Therefore, the Company has not recorded reserves and contingent liabilities related to this matter. However, in the future, as the case progresses, the Company may be required to record a contingent liability or reserve for these matters.

On August 14, 2014, the Company entered into a new lease commitment. Terms of the new lease include thirty-seven-month term commencing on September 1, 2014; payment of $5,367 security deposit; base rent of approximately $4,000 per month over the term of the lease plus sales tax; and payment of 10.76% of annual operating expenses (i.e. common areas maintenance), which is approximately $2,000 per month subject to periodic adjustment. On December 1, 2016, we entered into an amendment to the initial lease agreement, commencing on October 1, 2017, extending the term for an additional eighty-four months, expiring September 30, 2024. The base rent was increased to $4,626 per month with a 3% annual escalation throughout the amended term. We believe that the facilities are suitable for their intended purpose, are being efficiently utilized and provide adequate capacity to meet demand for the foreseeable future.

 Base rent expense, attributable to the Company’s headquarters facility totaled approximately $13,878 and $12,000 for the three month periods ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

The following is an estimate of future minimum rental payments required under our lease agreement on August 14, 2014 and as amended December 1, 2016:

	Operating lease
year 1	$	56,345
year 2		58,038
year 3		59,778
year 4		61,572
year 5 and thereafter		161,887
	$	397,620

On August 7, 2017 the Company entered into an Exclusive Distribution Agreement with Lenhardt & Wagner GmbH (“L&W”), a German-based company engaged in the development, manufacturing and sales of high pressure air and industrial gas compressor packages. Under the terms of the Exclusive Distribution Agreement, we were appointed the exclusive distributor of L&W’s complete product line in North America and South America, including the Caribbean (the “Territory”). Pursuant to an intercompany assignment, Brownie’s High Pressure Compressor Services, Inc., our newly-formed wholly-owned subsidiary (“BHP”), is party to the agreement. Through BHP we expect to conduct business and build the brand name “L&W Americas/LWA”, establishing sales, distribution and service centers for high pressure air and industrial gas systems in the dive, fire, CNG, military, scientific, recreational and aerospace industries. Under the terms of the agreement, we were granted a non-exclusive, non-transferrable and irrevocable right to use certain of L&W’s trademarks in connection with the marketing, use, sale and service of the products in the Territory. The agreement is for an initial term of five years, and will automatically renew for one additional five year term unless terminated by either party upon one year written notice prior to the expiration of the then current term. Either party may terminate the agreement without cause upon one year prior written notice to the other party. In addition, L&W may terminate the agreement for cause upon 120 days prior notice to us, subject to certain cure periods.