Toy Safety You Should Know For the Holidays

Every year, children are injured and even killed by toys, especially around the Christmas season when many new toys are hitting shelves. Some of the most common injuries caused by toys are lacerations, bone fractures, burns, wounds, strangulation, and suffocation. Some injuries will occur because parents were not watching the child or because the toy’s instructions were not followed – however, many more serious injuries will be caused by the toy being inherently defective or dangerous in nature because of a manufacturer’s defects. Because of this, product liability comes into play.

Toys Bringing Hazards to Children 

There are many toys out there that have caused children severe injuries and complications, and for many reasons. Here are some of those reasons, explained:

• Toys with small parts can cause choking and asphyxiation hazards. However, there are some more “unlikely” choking hazards out there as well, such as plush toys whose clothing and hair may become dislodged from the toy and become ingested by small children.
• Certain toys may have chemical reactions, moving parts, or projectiles and can cause burns or blindness. Children may be featured on boxes wearing safety equipment even though no equipment comes with the product.
• Some toys can pose head injuries, such as skateboards and wagons. Manufacturers will warn that helmets should be utilized but sometimes they are not.
• Toys with dangerous, sharp edges should be kept away from small children.

Remember these hazards this Christmas season when your children are receiving new toys. If your child has become injured by a toy, you may have a product liability case. You must be able to prove the product was defective, negligence by the manufacturer caused the defectiveness, your child was injured as a result of the defect, and damages occurred. Of course, we will help you through this process – so call us today at Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi.