It is a Sad Thing that Preventable Injuries due to Harmful Products are inflicted onto Minors all too Often
As reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls, drowning, burns, poisoning and motor vehicle accidents (which is at the top the list) are the leading causes of unintentional injuries and deaths among children in the U.S. Every year, more than 12,000 children (aged between 0 and 19) die and at least 9.2 million more are injured due to these causes.
As dangerous as those mentioned above are the many different products that people stuff in their homes and, it cannot be denied, so many of what Americans purchase are often causes of severe injuries or even death. The thousands of injuries and deaths caused by these products can be verified through the records of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). These products include home furniture and décor, tools, children’s outdoor activity equipment, sports equipment, inflatable amusements, nursery products and children’s toys.
Between 2007 and 2010, millions of children’s toys were recalled by the CPSC due to the dangers that these presented, such as sharp edges that could cause lacerations, small parts that were considered as choking hazards, toxic substances and chemical contents that exceeded federal limits. The CPSC is charged with enforcing toy safety standards laws, laws that set guidelines on toys, like: the required sizes of children’s toys; the inaccessibility of the toys’ batteries and magnets to small children; noise and toxicity limits; and, the display of labels containing the possible risks of choking hazards.
One major issue with toys is that their labels often do not include their content or material. Since there are no laws regarding this, many local and foreign manufacturers, therefore, do not put on toys’ labels information regarding any possible harmful elements. This leaves consumers without any clue about the actual safety of the products that they buy (everyone can only assume that all products made available in stores are totally safe).
As explained by the law firm Mazin & Associates, PC, “Instances of child injury can be very frightening for all parties involved. It is a parent’s deepest wish that his/her child has the opportunity to grow up happy and healthy. Sadly, preventable injuries are inflicted onto minors all too often.”
The family of a child, who has been injured in an accident or due to the use of a toy or any other product that is proven harmful, has the legal right to file a lawsuit against the responsible party. In so many cases accidents occur and defective products continue to be manufactured and sold due to the grave negligence of some individuals. It would be wise to seek the help of a seasoned personal injury lawyer who will see to it that all the documents required in the lawsuit and that the child’s and his/her family’s rights and interests are strongly defended.
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