Like all good parents in Louisiana, you no doubt delight in giving your children toys as gifts on their birthdays or other special occasions. If your son or daughter suffers an injury while playing, it is a sad event, for sure, and may require emergency medical care, as well, depending on the situation. What if your child’s toy is what caused the injury? Defective products cause many injuries in minors throughout the United States each year.
If you have a child who is age 14 or under, you’ll want to know that this is a high-risk age group for toy-related injuries. Toy manufacturers have an obligation to make sure that the products they make are safe for consumers, especially when the products are toys intended for children. If a defective product causes your son or daughter injury, it is understandable that you’d want to seek justice on behalf of your child.
Why are recalled products still available for sale?
A research group discovered at least 30 different toys that were under recall, yet still available for sale. If you buy your child a toy, you should expect it to be safe. Something you purchase at a store should not be on a recall list. If it is under recall, it should no longer be available on store shelves.
As a parent, you would undoubtedly feel betrayed, frustrated and angry if, for instance, you buy your toddler a toy that causes him or her to suffer injuries, then later learn that the toy should not have been available for sale. If a retailer knowingly sells you a recalled product, it is punishable under the law.
Toys must be properly labeled
Especially if you are buying toys for older children, there may be known risks involved in using them. For instance, if you buy a teenager a B.B. gun, there is a risk for injury involved, which should clearly be on a label on the product. If there are known dangers associated with a toy that are not labeled on the product, and an injury results during normal use of the product, the manufacturer may be liable.
Choking hazards, risk of fire and other safety issues should all clearly be on a label on toys so that the adults who purchase them are aware of the risks at the point of purchase. If you believe that your child has suffered injuries because a toy was not properly labeled or was defective, you can seek accountability against any person or group deemed responsible for the incident.