Parents may claim products liability from dangerous toys

Long before the holidays arrive, consumers in Pennsylvania begin seeing ads for the latest toys. Even grocery stores often display toys, hoping to gain the last minute holiday shopper or impulse buyer. This is also the time of year when the Consumer Product Safety Commission releases its annual report of dangerous toys. All toys made and sold in the United States must meet certain standards of quality and safety. Companies that do not adhere to those standards risk injuring children and facing products liability claims.

Because the CPSC has enforced stricter standards for toy safety, the number of recalls has dropped dramatically over the past few years. Additionally, parents are more conscientious about buying quality toys and encouraging safe behavior with their children. Nevertheless, 11 children died from toy related injuries last year, and 185,000 ended up in the emergency room. Many of those injuries were from riding toys like scooters, but others resulted from poor manufacturing or hidden dangers.

Consumers are advised to select toys carefully. Toy labels carry age-limit warnings when they include pieces that are too small or sharp for younger children. Parents are also warned to provide safety equipment such as helmets or knee pads when purchasing certain toys. Some toys contain hidden hazards like magnets, plastic films or batteries on which a child might choke. The CPSC urges parents to be vigilant about the condition of toys and to stay informed of any safety concerns or recalls.

When a toy has been recalled, it is likely that it has already injured a child. Toys are meant to bring joy to children, and when poor design results in a trip to the emergency room or worse, parents in Pennsylvania may want to seek full accountability from the manufacturer. They may do this by contacting an attorney to discuss the possibility of pursuing a products liability claim against the company that made or distributed the toy.

This blog entry was posted on behalf of [nap_names id=”FIRM-NAME-1″], and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the firm or its attorneys. The information presented in this blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice.

Source: CNN, “Keeping kids safe from hazardous toys“, Assil Frayha, Nov. 18, 2016