Famous Infant Product Liability Cases
After bringing a child into the world, you do your best to provide a safe environment for them to grow up in. You may put locks on cupboards, and a gate in front of the basement stairs, but what happens when a product you purchase puts your infant in harm's way? Poor design or a manufacturing flaw in a product can result in injury or death to your child. Common injuries involved in a products liability suit may include:
- Choking,
- Burns,
- Amputation,
- Lacerations, and
- Strangulation.
Defective Baby Products Can Cause Death or Injury to an Infant
Something seemingly safe for your child may result in death or injury. Here are some examples of products for infants that are seen as hazards, or have been recalled due to bodily harm to a child.
Baby Slings - A benefit of baby slings are that they create a close bond between the wearer and child. It acts as a pouch and allows the wearer to carry the baby, hands-free. Yet, after an estimated 14 deaths occurred because of suffocation, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a warning in 2010 that baby slings should not be used with newborns and infants under four months old. In the scenario that the sling covers the nose and mouth of a child, infants this young do not have the neck muscle development to move away.
Drop Side Cribs - Drop side cribs feature a side that lowers down for easier access to a child inside. The issue with cribs with this design feature is that the latch that keeps the drop side up can break or come undone and a child could get stuck or suffocate in the gap created. The Consumer Products Safety Commission, in 2011, decided to ban the sale of cribs with a drop-down feature after 150 deaths between 2007 and 2010.
Bumbo Baby Seats - This popular seat, designed to help young children sit up straight, was recalled for the first time in 2007 after nineteen falls from the seat resulted in a skull fracture. A second recall was initiated in 2012 to add a restraint to the seat as well as include additional warnings to parents regarding the safe use of the product. A free repair kit was provided to customers to rectify safety concerns of purchased merchandise.
Contact An Aurora, Illinois Product Liability Lawyer Today
When companies fail at producing safe products, it is families that suffer due to their negligence. If your child died or was injured as a result of poor design or a manufacturing defect, you deserve compensation for your pain and suffering. Contact an experienced Kane County Product Liability Attorney at 630-907-0909 to schedule a free consultation.
Sources:
https://www.birthinjuryguide.org/infant-injury-caused-by-defective-product/
https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2010/Infant-Deaths-Prompt-CPSC-Warning-About-Sling-Carriers-for-Babies/
https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2012/Baby-Seats-Recalled-for-Repair-by-Bumbo-International-Due-to-Fall-Hazard/
