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How to Avoid Dangerous and Defective Toys This Holiday Season
Many toys seem innocent so it's hard to imagine them as potentially dangerous, but they can be. Dangerous and defective toys cause serious injury and even death. Follow these tips to buy safe toys this holiday season.
December 17, 2011 /Business PR News/ -- With the holiday season approaching, it's just about time to start the holiday shopping all over again. As we prepare ourselves for battle in the stores and at the mall, it's important to be mindful of the little ones for whom we are shopping. Some toys seem like a lot of fun, but they can also be dangerous.
What Types of Dangerous Toys to Avoid
Many toys seem innocent so it's hard to imagine them as potentially dangerous, but they can be. Toys with little parts or board games with little pieces can be extremely dangerous for a small unsupervised child. Little children have a propensity for putting small things in their mouths and nostrils, and their airways can become easily obstructed.
Currently in Europe, a new safety initiative is underway to prevent unsupervised children under the age of eight from blowing up balloons. It is dangerous for a small child to blow up balloons because they can easily swallow the balloon and choke. The same is being done with noise makers. Those small horns with the paper that unfurls from the end when you blow into them are on the radar as well. These seemingly innocuous toys which have been on the market for years can actually be quite dangerous, especially in the hands of a young child.
Excessive Lead Levels in Toys
Every year hundreds of children's toys are banned from stores, pulled off the shelves or recalled after the holiday season. Many different dangerous and defective toys have resulted in injury or even death of small children.
One of the most recent toy recalls was for imported toys made with excessive amounts of lead paint. It is okay for a toy to contain a trace amount of lead paint, but these toys, often manufactured in China, contained toxic levels. Millions of such toxic toys have been imported and sold in the U.S. Parents are often unaware that their small children were exposed to toxic levels of lead and some children suffered serious health consequences as a result of the dangerous levels of lead.
Product Liability After an Injury Due to a Dangerous Toy
When a child suffers an injury because of a toy that is defective or made with toxic materials, who is at fault? Is it the store that sells the toy, the vendor that sells the toys to the store or the manufacturer? The store doesn't know how the manufacturer makes the product, but the vendor does. When there is an issue of product liability, the manufacturer and vendor are usually the responsible parties.
It is the responsibility of the manufacturer to use safe materials and test their products for any and all possible defects. It is the responsibility of the vendor to make sure that the products they are selling to other parties are up to certain safety and health specifications. Long gone is the theory of "buyer beware." The onus for safety is now on the manufacturers and vendors. If they fail to do their jobs, they can be held accountable through a product liability suit.
What Should You Do?
When shopping for toys this holiday season, be careful. If shopping for children, avoid toys with small moving parts that could easily break off. Check the packaging to see if the toy contains any lead paint. If you have specific toys in mind, do some research and see if there have been any complaints or concerns. Check the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's website. The CPSC provides a list of toys that could harm small children.
If your child has been injured by a defective toy, consider contacting a local product liability attorney who will help you seek compensation for your child's injuries and medical bills and help you raise awareness about the dangers associated with a particular toy.
Article provided by The McClellan Law Firm
Visit us at www.mcclellanlaw.com
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