December is Safe Toys & Gifts Month, an annual tradition aimed at bringing awareness about the safety of toys and gifts for children. With the holiday season upon us, this campaign serves as an important reminder for anyone gifting toys to prioritize safety. In order to prevent accidents and injuries, event organizers emphasize choosing age-appropriate, hazard-free toys.
Choosing Safe Toys & Gifts for The Holidays
How parents can prevent toy related injuries? Use these tips to reduce the risk of purchasing an unsafe toy for the littles in your life:
- Check labels. Always read over and follow manufacturer recommendations for how to use toys safely.
- Avoid toys with small parts for young children. Do not buy toys with small parts that could pose a choking hazard for young children. Check for age recommendations on labels (such as 3+).
- Inspect for hazards. Look over toys for sharp edges, loose components, or other potential dangers. Check for age recommendations on labels.
- Read reviews. Before buying, it’s a good idea to research toys online. Look for reviews from parents and check for any product recalls or articles about injuries caused by the toy you’re thinking of buying.
- Consider the child’s age. Choose toys that match the child’s age, interests, and abilities.
Statistics for Toy Related Injuries in Children
Unfortunately, children die every year from toy related injuries. Here are toy-related fatality and injury statistics reported by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for 2022:
Toy-Related Fatalities in 2022:
- There were 11 reported toy-related deaths among children aged 14 and younger. Victims ranged in age from seven months to ten years.
- The causes of these fatalities included choking on bouncy balls (two), motor vehicle collisions involving unpowered scooters (one), and various other toys such as powered riding toys, balloons, and toy magnets (five).
Toy-Related Injuries Treated in the Emergency Department in 2022:
- An estimated 209,500 toy-related injuries were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments.
- Of these injuries, 76 percent involved children aged 14 or younger, with 38 percent affecting children aged 4 or younger.
- The most common injuries were lacerations, contusions, or abrasions (41 percent), primarily affecting the head and face area (47 percent).
- Nonmotorized scooters accounted for the largest number of injuries across all age groups.
These numbers show us how important it is to choose safe, age-appropriate toys and be aware of potential hazards.
Product Liability Cases for Toys
Product liability cases involving toys typically fall under one of the following categories:
- Design defects. Design defects are issues inherent in the toy’s design that make it unsafe for use.
- Manufacturing defects. Manufacturing defects are issues that happen during the production process that make the toy unsafe for use.
- Failure to warn. A failure to warn means that the manufacturer failed to provide labeling with necessary warnings or safety instructions.
If your child has been injured by a defective toy, it’s important to consult with an experienced, local defective product lawyer to understand your legal options and secure the compensation your family deserves.
What Happens If a Child Is Injured by a Defective Toy?
Despite safety standards, defective products can still end up on toy shelves. When a child is injured because of a defective toy, the emotional and financial toll on a family can be significant. Fortunately, families have legal options when their child was harmed due to a negligent manufacturer or retailer.
A defective product attorney can hold toy designers, manufacturers, and retailers accountable for negligent behavior that leads to injuries caused by unsafe products. The attorney starts by determining whether the injury was caused by a design flaw, manufacturing defect, or insufficient safety warnings. Next, the injury lawyer gathers medical records, product details, and expert testimony to build a strong case. Once the case is built, they work to recover a settlement that covers medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages resulting from the injury.
When a Defective Toy Causes Injury
A defective toy product is a consumer item that fails to meet expected standards of safety, quality, or reliability, potentially causing risk of injury, illness, or property damage. When a product is unreasonably dangerous to the consumer and causes physical harm as a result of normal usage, the product may be deemed defective.
If your child was the victim of an accident caused by a defective product such as strangulation by a long cord; contact a local defective product attorney. The injury lawyer will review your case and, should you decide to work together, fight for a settlement several times larger than what you could negotiate on your own. The settlement may help to cover damages for medical expenses, therapy, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and more.
If you or a loved one is dealing with an accident or injury through no fault of your own, you have enough on your plate. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring accident attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County, and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
