The Dangers of Defective Toys
Toys can provide hundreds of hours of play and learning experiences for children of all ages. Most children have a favorite toy, but what happens when it is a hazard to their life due to a manufacturing defect or poor design? Toys that fall under these categories can cause death or serious injuries. When companies release hazardous products and children get hurt, they must be held responsible through product liability lawsuits.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 217,000 children a year are treated for toy-related injuries. Not all of these hospital visits are for defective toys, but when companies do not carefully develop products, children can suffer from suffocation, burns, or the effects of dangerous chemicals.
As a parent, it is important to keep aware of consumer recalls and potential hazards when providing a toy to a child. These dangerous products were recalled due to company oversights that caused harm to children.
- Magnetix: These popular toys from 2006 were recalled after the death of one child and the serious injuries of four others. A larger recall was issued a year later after further reports of injuries that required surgical intervention. The small pieces themselves were considered choking hazards, but the magnets inside the building toys were strong enough to connect through skin and tissue. Children were swallowing multiple pieces, and the magnets caused internal damage.
- Aqua Dots: A toy designed for children to create shapes out of tiny beads, Aqua Dots created more than a choking hazard for children. When ingested, the coating on the beads goes through a chemical reaction to become Gamma Hydroxybutyrate or the “date rape drug”. This neurological depressant can cause seizures, respiratory failure, and a comatose state. In 2015, a family in Arizona was awarded $435K in damages after their toddler ingested the beads.
- Easy Bake Oven: For aspiring young bakers, the Easy-Bake Oven was a fun way to make little treats in a child-sized oven. However, faulty design lead to burns to severe to a child, part of her finger was amputated. Approximately 985,000 units were recalled due to the chance of getting a hand or finger trapped in the hot oven.
Contact a Kane County Product Liability Lawyer
When companies do not manufacture products responsibly, it is consumers that find out by suffering. When making products for children, extra thought should be put into production and design. When companies fail and a child suffers, they need to be held accountable. If your child has been injured by a defective toy, contact an experienced Aurora product liability attorney to discuss your eligibility for compensation. Call our office at 630-907-0909 to schedule a free consultation.
Sources:
https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2008/MEGA-Brands-Recalls-Magtastik-and-Magnetix-Jr-Pre-School-Magnetic-Toys-Ingested-Magnets-Pose-Aspiration-and-Intestinal-Hazards
https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=toy-safety--injury-statistics-and-incidence-rates-90-P03000
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/06/19/jury-awards-family-aqua-dots-trial/29016451/
