If your baby has a VTech rattle or travel mobile, potential defects could result in serious injury. According to WebMD, the company issued a recall due to the risk of choking and “struck-by” injuries.
What Products were Recalled?
Although no injuries have been reported to date, the two products below pose a risk of serious injury or death. If you have either of these products, remove them from your home immediately.
- Shake & Sing Elephant Rattle: At least five consumers have reported that the elephant’s ears have broken off. Being quite small, the ears pose a serious choking risk to young children and babies. As a result, about 280,000 rattles have been recalled. The affected rattles were purchased online and at retail locations, including Amazon and Walmart, between November 2015 and November 2017.
- Lights and Lullabies Travel Mobile: The company indicated that this mobile can be “risky to kids” due to a “plastic arm that clamps to a crib can crack and cause the mobile to fall into the crib.” As a result, an infant can be struck by the mobile, resulting in head injuries or bruising. Between February and November 2017, approximately 37,000 of the affected mobiles were purchased online and at multiple retail locations.
If you have one of these recalled product’s, it is in your best interest to stop using it immediately. A Boston defective products lawyer can help you determine how to proceed if you’ve been injured by a defective or dangerous product.
Child Injuries Related to Products or Objects in the Home
Fortunately, no injuries from the products above have been reported. However, defective and dangerous products injure thousands of children every year. Safe Kids Worldwide has released a report showing the severity of this problem. Some of the statistics from the report are included below.
- The most common cause of serious injury to children in the home is suffocation. In fact, nearly 1,300 children died by suffocation in 2013.
- In 2013, more than 22,000 children went to the emergency room for injuries related to suffocation.
- The vast majority of children who die from suffocation are under age one (80 percent).
- About 26 kids die annually due to furniture tip-overs and other “struck-by” injuries.
- Approximately 188,000 children require emergency medical treatment every year due to injuries caused by children’s toys.
- More than 150 children are fatally injured from choking each year.
Determining Liability
If your child has been injured by a product defect, who is liable? This is a complex question, requiring extensive research and the help of an attorney who specializes in product liability. The distribution chain for a product includes multiple parties; different companies often design the product, manufacture the product and sell the product, and any or all can be liable for a defect. Product defects generally fit into one of three categories – design, manufacturing or marketing. A MA defective products attorney can help you recover damages if you’ve been injured by a defective or dangerous product.
Altman & Altman, LLP – Boston’s Premier Defective Products Law Firm
If you have been injured by a dangerous or defective product, the skilled legal team at Altman & Altman, LLP can help. We have been protecting the rights of accident and injury victims for more than 50 years. Our experienced, knowledgeable attorneys have an impressive track record of obtaining compensation for our clients. We understand the sensitive nature of cases involving injuries to children. Our compassionate legal team will ensure that you fully understand your rights and options and we’ll remain by your side throughout the entire process. Don’t go through this difficult process alone, we can help. Contact Altman & Altman, LLP today for a free and confidential consultation about your case.