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As a parent, you want the best for your child, and their safety is always a priority. Parents buy toys to put a smile on their child’s face, but what happens when toys do more harm than good?
Items you buy from toy stores and online vendors may seem innocent on the surface, but underneath they may pose a threat to your child’s wellbeing. If you’re a parent, it’s wise to be aware of the potential risks associated with certain types of toys and household objects and to take safety precautions. If you buy a defective toy, or your child develops an illness or injury after using specific products, you should seriously consider the following options.
Keeping Your Child Safe
When you buy toys for your children, you want to feel like you’re making a positive gesture, rather than putting your child at risk. Toys should provide fun and hours of entertainment for little ones. In the vast majority of cases, toys are safe, but what happens if you buy a substandard product or your child starts to feel unwell after playing with their favorite toy?
There are regulations and safety standards in place to reduce the risk of injuries and fatalities, but are you aware of product liability laws, and would you know what to do if your child developed an illness or injury as a result of playing with a specific toy? Every year in the US alone, more than 250,000 kids end up in Emergency Rooms due to injuries or symptoms sustained through playing with toys.
Although many toys pose a risk due to the possibility of choking, there are other dangers associated with buying products that are aimed at children. Through playing with toys, children can become exposed to harmful chemicals, and there is also a risk that kids end up playing with faulty and defective toys. When buying toys, check safety labels and advisory notices and look for toys that have been tested and approved. This is particularly important if you have small children. You’ll often see labels stating a recommended age for the toy, for example, to lower the risk of choking due to small parts.
Examples of Harmful Products and Hazardous Situations
Any toy can pose a risk to a child, and sometimes, accidents are inevitable. However, there are certain products and scenarios that are likely to be more dangerous than others and issues related to manufacturers overlooking safety precautions.
Lead exposure is one hazard that all parents should be wary of. In the past, for example, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled more than 1.4 million toy necklaces as a result of the potential risk of lead exposure after the parents of a 4-year-old child who had been playing with the necklace suffered bouts of stomach pains over a period of several weeks. Lead exposure can also occur as a result of contact with paint. In 2009, the commission fined Mattel Inc more than $2 million for violation of federal lead paint regulations.
Toys with small parts, for example, soft toys and action figures with button eyes, noses, and moving components, battery-operated products, and toy vehicles are also amongst the most dangerous toys. These parts can come loose or fall off, and subsequently carry a risk of choking and ingestion.
Knowing Your Rights
Not every injury or illness that children sustain will result from contact or exposure to toys or household items. Accidents happen, and children tend to be more injury-prone than adults. In many cases, nobody is to blame, but sometimes kids get hurt through no fault of their own. There are various scenarios in which it’s beneficial to seek legal advice.
If you think you’ve bought a defective product, you have reservations about marketing ploys or product descriptions or safety warnings, or you believe that the product is dangerous, our expert team at Napoli Shkolnik is here to help. Toys should meet the required safety standards, and any issues or concerns should be reported as quickly as possible to minimize the risk of danger. If you’ve bought a product that was defective, or your child has been put in danger due to a manufacturer or retailer error, you have the right to pursue a compensation claim, and our friendly, experienced, professional legal team can guide you through the process and fight in your corner.
When you buy toys for your children, it’s natural to assume that they are safe. If you’re worried that you’ve bought a faulty product, or your child has become unwell after being exposed to toys or household objects, call Napoli Shkolnik today to discuss your case in more detail.