Las Vegas Defective Children’s Products Attorneys
Protecting children harmed by unsafe toys, products, and clothing
We expect any product we purchase to work as advertised, but this is even more important when we buy products for children and infants. Clothing, toys, and other products for kids must be designed and manufactured safely and work without malfunction. Sadly, hundreds of these products are subject to recall every year for hazards like choking, suffocation, and other dangers. Companies that design and sell defective products must be held accountable when they cause harm to vulnerable and innocent children.
The product liability attorneys at Claggett & Sykes Trial Lawyers have helped thousands of clients recover damages after experiencing injury and losses. We know how to hold negligent manufacturers responsible when they put unsafe products on the market. Let us help you and your family, too. We offer free consultations in our Las Vegas offices – contact us today.
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“The team at Claggett and Sykes were amazing! They were quick to respond, were extremely helpful with my case and kept me informed the whole time.” – Leah V.
How common are children’s toy-related injuries?
According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), toy-related injuries accounted for 198,000 emergency room visits in 2020. Out of these, 75 percent were sustained by children under 14 years old, 73 percent by children under 12, and 40 percent by children under the age of four. The CPSC also reported nine fatalities. Other notable statistics from the report include:
- Non-motorized scooters were associated with the most injuries for all ages
- Building sets were associated with the most injuries for ages four years and younger
- Forty-two percent of injuries were classified as lacerations, contusions, or abrasions
- Forty-seven percent of injuries occurred to the head and face areas
At least eight of the nine fatalities reported were due to airway obstruction, choking, or asphyxiation in a toy-related accident.
What are examples of products that cause children injury?
Infants and young children are especially at risk for hazards like tip-overs, strangulation, or choking. However, any product marketed to parents and children must be designed, developed, and tested with the utmost of caution and the highest of standards. Common children’s products at risk for dangerous defects include:
- Car seats. Defective car or booster seats put infants and young children at great risk in the event of a car accident. Whether a malfunction in the seat latch, buckle, or weakness in overall construction, any failure in a car seat can injure or even kill a child in a crash.
- Stollers and joggers. Multiple companies have recalled strollers over the past few years, citing fall, crushing and amputation risks. Children call out of the seats, or have their hands and fingers crushed. Some of recalls involve wheels that can detach while the stroller is in use.
- Clothing and pajamas. The children’s clothing industry is highly regulated, including the use of flammable materials. However, unsafe items can still make it onto the shelves. Improperly attached buttons and snaps cause choking hazards, as well as strangulation hazards from hoodies or sweatpants.
- Playground equipment. Badly-designed or poorly-constructed playground sets can cause serious injuries, even when kids are using it in the way it’s intended. Faulty swings, slides, or railings can cause a child to slip or fall.
- Cribs and playpens. Play and sleep areas that collapse, unlock, or come apart when they shouldn’t can trap a child’s fingers or head and cause severe physical trauma. Cribs with improper design or shoddy materials can also cause injury to an infant or child.
- Inclined sleepers and loungers. Recently the subject of an important warning from the CPSC, inclined sleepers have been linked to 254 incidents, including 21 infant fatalities, across the country. According to the CPSC, inclined sleepers have design issues that result in “infants rolling over and asphyxiating, children developing respiratory problems, or developing physical deformations due to extended period of use.” Boppy infant loungers were recalled in 2021 for suffocation risk. Eight children have died after rolling over in the loungers.
- Toys. Games and toys marketed to children often have small parts. When these parts are removable, they should be marketed to a certain age range indicated on the packaging. Otherwise, any small parts should firmly secured to prevent choking risks – toy manufacturers must reasonably know small children instinctively put things in their mouths.
- Non-motorized scooters. The CPSC reports that scooters accounted for the most injuries to children in 2020, with the exception of kids under age four. The most common incidents with these are related to motor vehicle involvement or falls.
Whatever product caused harm to your child, the Las Vegas attorneys at Claggett & Sykes will work to find out who was responsible, while you take the time you need to help your child heal.
What types of injuries are caused by defective children’s products?
Unsafe toys and products can cause infants and children serious to fatal injury, depending on the circumstances. Common injuries children experience from defective products include:
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If your little one suffered serious injury from a dangerous product or toy, call us for a free consultation. Let us take the worry off your shoulders while you take care of your child.
What is the Child Safety Protection Act?
Passed in 1994, the Child Safety Protection Act, or CSPA, (HR 965) lays out specific legislation to prevent choking-related deaths in children. The main portion of the Act is to label possible choking hazards in toys for children under the age of three. The CSPA rules that manufacturers must provide a warning label and symbol that expressly states a product or toy is not for children under a certain age.
If a company doesn’t place this warning, their product should be subject to recall, possible fines, and can be held liable for any injuries or deaths that occur as a result. It’s important to remember, however, that there are some products that need to be small to perform their intended function. These exemptions include:
- Balloons
- Crayons, chalk, pencils
- Modeling clay
- Rattles
- Pacifiers
- Grooming products
- Eating utensils
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about your child’s injuries; our Las Vegas attorneys can inform you of your rights.
What damages are available in my Las Vegas product liability case?
As a parent, you want what’s best for your child. If your child has been hurt, that means quality medical care and a way to ease their pain. In product defect cases, many times injuries can be lifelong, and lawsuits are a way to ensure that your child receives the resources necessary to provide treatment and care for as long as they need.
Lawsuits also help to make products safer. Companies are forced to pay attention to lawsuits and in some cases will change the designs of their products, ensuring similar incidents don’t happen again. In many cases, this provides a sense of closure and justice to families who have lost a child or had a child severely injured. We know how to handle these cases and hold these companies accountable.
Las Vegas dangerous children’s products lawyers on your side
The product liability attorneys at Claggett & Sykes Trial Lawyers can help when your child suffers harm. With over $1.5 billion recovered for thousands of clients, we have what it takes to hold unsafe companies and manufacturers responsible. We take care of the entire legal process while you take the time you need to be with your family. To set up a free consultation in our Las Vegas offices, call 702-602-4949 or fill out our contact form today.