5 Most Dangerous Defects Commonly Found in Children's Toys

 Posted on May 30, 2022 in Defective Products

The safety standards that apply to products meant for children are much more stringent than those that apply to products meant for adults. Children do not have the life experience and reasoning skills that help adults use dangerous products safely. Parents of toddlers often say that children that age seems as though they are designed to self-destruct, always finding ways to endanger themselves. This is why we do not entrust things like lighters or weapons to children. Parents should be able to reasonably expect that toys marketed for use by children are safe for children. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Injuries related to product defects in children’s toys are much more common than they should be. If your child was harmed by a dangerous toy, an attorney may be able to help you recover the compensation they need through a product liability case.

Common Toy Defects That Put Your Child in Danger

Toy designers should have the safety of children at the top of their priority list. Sadly, adult toy designers do sometimes overlook design flaws that can endanger children. Defects commonly found in children’s toys include:

• Choking hazards - Small children love to put things in their mouths. Very young children are inclined to examine new objects using their mouths. For this reason, it is important that toys meant for toddlers do not involve any small, removable pieces that a child could choke on. Even the eyes on a stuffed animal can become dangerous if they detach too easily.
• Batteries - When batteries are needed to operate a child’s toy, they should be well-secured so that young children cannot access them. Batteries can be extremely dangerous for a child’s health if they are swallowed.
• Sharp edges - A child should not be able to easily cut themselves on a toy. Darts and other throwing toys or projectiles should feature soft tips in case another child is hit.
• Fall risks - Indoor and outdoor play equipment that children are meant to climb up, like slides or jungle gyms should have features like railings that mitigate the risk of a child falling off and being injured.
• Burn risks - Quite a few modern children’s toys involve some type of heating component. Think about toys like easy bake ovens, or activity kits where the finished project must be baked in an oven. Young children are not often capable of safely using heat sources, especially when they are very excited about their toy.

Children are quite able to injure themselves in ways adults would never expect. It is critical that toy designers and manufacturers are exceptionally careful about making sure their products will be safe when used by a child.

Call a Lake County Product Liability Attorney

If your child was injured by a defective toy, Salvi & Maher, LLP may be able to help you recover compensation for them. Our skilled Waukegan product liability lawyers are dedicated to holding toy designers who endanger children liable. Call us at 847-662-3303 for a free consultation.

Source:

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/childrens-products/g22851411/most-dangerous-toys/