Protecting Your Child Against Defective and Dangerous Products
Ask any parent and they will tell you that babies and small children require lots of gear. From nursery furnishings, strollers, highchairs, clothing, and car safety seats, to toys, videos, electronic devices, and other items designed to keep them busy and entertained. It is easy for a parent to go broke buying all the stuff their children want or need. Unfortunately, most parents are unaware of the potential dangers certain products might pose. Product liability cases involving children’s items seek to hold manufacturers and merchants accountable for knowingly producing or selling items that are unsafe, or for failing to take the necessary precautions to prevent injuries.
Children’s Items and Product Liability
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) carefully monitors goods manufactured or delivered into the U.S. to ensure they comply with state and federal safety regulations. It also issues warnings and recalls, based on manufacturer information and customer complaints, regarding products that have the potential to be hazardous and unsafe.
For example, in 2017, the CPSC issued an order prohibiting the use of certain phthalate chemicals in children’s toys, which are often used in plastics to increase durability. These chemicals have been shown to pose a risk of damage to the kidneys, liver, lungs, and reproductive systems. They are particularly dangerous when used in children’s toys, which young children tend to swallow, mouth, or bite.
Along with these types of orders, the CPSC issues approximately 500 product recalls each year. These include numerous recalls of children’s items and warnings concerning a variety of products parents may rely on every day.
Protecting Your Child Against Potential Dangers
You can help protect your child against potential dangers by checking the CPSC website regularly and by buying children’s items only from reputable vendors. Safety advocates recommend staying away from or using extreme caution with the following items, which experts agree are among the most dangerous in terms of children’s injuries:
- Metal and plastic dress-up jewelry sets, which can contain hazardous material and present choking hazards
- Magnets, which may be embedded in smaller toys and cause intestinal problems if swallowed
- Drop-side cribs, which have been banned by the CPSC since 2011
- Certain baby slings, which can increase the risks of suffocation
- Older highchairs, particularly those that lack a five-point harness system
If your child has been injured as a result of a defective or dangerous product, you could contact a product liability lawyer from a firm like MartinWren, P.C. You may be entitled to compensation for the injuries and damages your family has suffered.