Boston Injury Lawyer Blog
Mattel issued a recall today of its toys with small magnets and toys made in China that have hazardous lead paint. It is the toymaker’s second recall this month.
The world’s largest toymaker says it is recalling some 436,000 toys, including die-cast toy vehicles that feature the Pixar movie character “Sarge.” The toy vehicles were manufactured in China and are believed to have “impermissible levels of lead.”
In another recall action today, Mattel is recalling globally some 18.2 million toys with magnets. About 9 million of these toys were sold in the United States. The magnets are said to be powerful, can come lose easily, and choked on if swallowed. This recall follows an similar recall in 2006 after a number of children were critically injured or died after swallowing magnets from toys. Some 63 kinds of toys are included in this current recall, including a number of Batman toys, Polly Pocket toys, Barbie toys, and Doggie Day Care toys.
Mattel has apologized for the recall and says it is working with regulatory agencies, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and retailers to take the recalled products off store shelves.
Earlier in August, Mattel recalled more than one million toys that were manufactured in China because they had dangerous levels of lead paint. Toys in this recall include a number of Dora the Explorer products and Sesame Street toys from Mattel’s Fisher-Price unit.
Toys are given to young children for the purposes of giving them pleasure or to educate or entertain them. Toys are often designated for their appropriate age group, so that children that are too young to enjoy or learn from a specific toy are not harmed unnecessarily because the pieces might be a choking hazard if swallowed or a toy requires the experience and skills of an older child.
It can be very traumatic for a child if he or she is hurt while playing with a toy. In instances where more than one child is injured or killed because a particular toy has proven dangerous or defective, a toy manufacturer might issue a product recall to have the toy removed from store shelves.
Toys with unacceptable levels of lead, flammable materials, excessively small pieces, or sharp pieces or edges can sometimes lead to serious injuries if not death.
The parents of a child that is hurt because of a dangerous or defective toy may have grounds to file a products liability claim or lawsuit to hold the manufacturer, distributor, or seller of a faulty product liable for the injury.
Mattel Issues New Recall of Chinese Toys, New York Times, August 14, 2007
Mattel Recalls 9 Million Toys in US, CNN, August 14, 2007
Related Web Resources:
Toy Hazard Recalls, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Toy Safety – Injury Statistics and Incidence Rates, Children SNYP.org
List of Toys in Mattel Recall, Forbes.com, August 14, 2007
An experienced personal injury attorney can help you file your claim. Throughout Massachusetts, Altman & Altman LLP has successfully handled products liability cases and other accident claims and lawsuits. We offer a free consultation to all prospective clients.
Contact Altman & Altman LLP today and ask to speak with one of products liability lawyers today.
