According to the National Safe Kids Campaign, there are more than 3 billion toys and games sold in the United States every year. And each year, thousands of toys are recalled in the U.S. due to the potential risks they pose to children. Unfortunately, some toy defects are discovered only after numerous kids have already been injured or killed by the defective product. When a toy causes serious injuries to a child or results in a child’s wrongful death, an experienced Orlando injury attorney helps parents fight to hold the manufacturer accountable.
Toy Recalls So Far in 2012
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the following toy hazard recalls have been issued in 2012:
• 7,000 packs of Mexican wrestling action figures have been recalled by Lee Carter Co. due to excessive levels of lead in the paint
• 25,000 infant rattles have been recalled by Lee Carter Co. because the rattle’s handle is small enough to become lodged in a child’s throat, thus posing a choking hazard
• 31,000 Tumblekins Toys have been recalled by International Playthings because the toys can break into small, sharp pieces that pose choking and laceration hazards
• 1,800 units of children’s play theaters have been recalled by Guidecraft in the U.S., plus 350 units in Canada, due to an entrapment hazard if the toys tip over during play
• 3,900 baby dolls have been recalled by Lakeshore Learning Materials in the U.S., plus 400 dolls in Canada, because the fingers and toes can detach and pose a choking hazard
• 9,000 toy trucks sold exclusively at Kohl’s have been recalled by Happy Shirts because of a fire and burn hazard associated with the connections in the battery compartment
• 3,000 Whoozit Starry Time baby rattles have been recalled by Manhattan Group in the U.S., plus 150 rattles in Canada, because the spheres on each end can break and release the contents of the rattle, which children might choke on
It is important that parents stay abreast of toy hazard recalls, so they can remove dangerous toys from their home.
Toy-Related Injuries and Deaths in the U.S.
As reported by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2010:
• CPSC staff received reports of 17 toy-related deaths among children under the age of 15
• 47 percent of those deaths involved balloons or small balls
• Asphyxiation or choking accounted for 11 deaths
• Emergency departments treated an estimated 251,700 toy-related injuries
• 45 percent of those injuries were classified as lacerations, contusions or abrasions and 46 percent involved the head or face
Fortunately, 97 percent of the children seen in emergency rooms for toy-related injuries in 2010 were treated and released. If your child has been harmed by a dangerous toy or other defective product, contact a qualified Orlando injury lawyer today to learn about your legal rights.