Unhappy Holidays as Children’s Toys Are Recalled

The holidays are finally behind us and our kids have begun settling in with those new toys they excitedly tore the wrapping paper from. It’s time to take a look at some of the hazards that have been exposed recently that may be lurking in your home that could send your child to the emergency room.

An unfortunate part of the gift-giving season when children are involved is that retailers are well aware that it’s their time of year to shine and they take full advantage of raking in a majority of their annual income. To do that means racing to get exciting new products in front of your kids and out on the shelves – sometimes in haste. Your kids may scream with glee when they open the box with their new toy, and they may also scream after becoming injured by a defective toy that leads to a recall over product liability.

Defective toys come in all sizes, price ranges, and hazard risks

With giving gifts, it’s always the thought that counts, but when smaller children are involved, the thought of their excitement when they see what they’ve unwrapped is an even bigger thrill to adults who picked out the toys. It gives us a little chance to relive our own childhoods so we, like kids, look for bright, shiny, engaging toys we’d want to play with too. Sadly, some of these toys are already showing themselves to be dangerous so start checking the Consumer Product Safety Commission for toy recalls.

Here are just a few of the toys recently shown to be hazardous:

• Toysmith Light-Up Magic Wand. The manufacturer has recalled 58,000 of these wands due to a choking hazard when a cover to the button-cell battery caused the cell to dislodge and a child swallowed it. That child required medical attention to remove the battery to prevent injury. These batteries are known to cause injury to children. Aside from being a choking hazard, these batteries can cause burns to the esophagus lining within minutes. Children who swallow these batteries need immediate medical attention typically requiring a surgical procedure to remove the battery.
• Dollar Tree Fashion Doll. This small toy packs a punch when it comes to potential injury to your child. While there has not yet been a recall issued on this doll, it has been found to be dangerous. The doll contains 246 times the amount of DEHP allowed by the federal government. DEHP is a chemical categorized as a phthalate. Phthalates may be carcinogenic and cause reproductive problems. Various versions of the same style doll have been sold world-wide and are certainly not limited to Dollar Tree. Dollar Tree has been asked to initiate a voluntary recall of these dolls but has yet to act on that request. Current options are to either throw the doll away, or store it in a safe place until possible future recall instructions are released.
• LOL Surprise! Glamper. A popular toy that made an appearance in thousands of homes this holiday season is the LOL Surprise! Glamper. The plastic camper-style toy has trapped fingers of children, sending them to the emergency room and forcing parents to find creative ways to release their children from being painfully stuck. While there is currently no official recall of the toy, MGA Entertainment, the manufacturer, has acknowledged complaints of fingers injured while using a release button on the toy. The company immediately redesigned the button to prevent fingers from getting caught. They have also provided information for concerned consumers who purchased the toy to contact their customer service team immediately.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission will provide you with instructions from the manufacturer of what to do when one of your toys appears on the recall list. In the case where an official recall has not been initiated, you can check the manufacturer’s website to see whether they have a solution in place. If your child has been hurt by a recalled toy, before speaking with the manufacturer, you should protect your child by seeking the advice of a personal injury attorney specifically with experience in product liability claims.

The product liability attorneys at Harris Lowry Manton LLP have successfully represented clients throughout Georgia who sustained injuries because of dangerous or defective products. Schedule your free consultation today by calling our Savannah office at 912-651-9967, our Atlanta office at 404-961-7650, or by reaching out to us through our contact page to tell us your story.