Dangerous Toys: An Alarmingly Common Occurrence Part 2
Part one of this two part blog series discussed the increase in child injury in direct correlation to the increase of foreign-manufactured toys and the changes seen from previous generations to today’s toy manufacturing process. This second part discusses common defects in toys as well as other aspects of a toy that can harm a child, such as its composition.
The risks that a child faces when playing with a dangerous or defective toy may not always be seen, even by the most observant parent. The most common defects in children’s products today involve lead poisoning and other dangerous substances, as well as choking hazards, magnets and small parts that may become detached from the toy exposing sharp edges or pieces that could seriously injure or even kill a child. Other hazards include the risk of toys exploding and shooting acid into a child’s eyes.
Unfortunately, poisonous substances such as lead, cadmium and asbestos are often found in children’s jewelry, most of which is made in China. Federal authorities state that lead is the most commonly found toxin in children’s products and has no safe exposure level. According to the article Playing with Safety: Dangerous Toys and the Role of America’s Civil Justice System, in 2006, a four-year-old boy died after swallowing a jewelry charm that was tainted with lead. The charm was a promotional item that came with the purchase of a pair of shoes between May 2004 and May 2006. Upon the boy’s autopsy, it was found that the charm contained 99 percent lead. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regulations place the allowable lead percentage in children’s products at 0.06 percent.
Toy-related injuries can be very serious and may leave a child permanently disabled or cause their wrongful death. Negligence on the part of any toy manufacturer, whether foreign or domestic, is unacceptable and the toy’s manufacturer can be held legally responsible for any injury suffered by a child, no matter how minor or how severe. If your child has suffered an injury from a defective toy such as lacerations, burns, internal damage due to swallowing toy parts, or any other toy-related injury, please contact Ray Maples, dedicated Oklahoma City dangerous product attorney at The Maples Law Firm. Mr. Maples has extensive experience handling a variety of personal injury cases and will help you understand your legal rights and options as a parent as well as your child’s rights and hold all negligent parties accountable for their actions. Contact The Maples Law Firm for a free and confidential consultation at (405) 705-5050 today.