Recalls of Children's Products Not Effective Enough

Children deserve to be protected by their parents, by their caregivers, and even by the manufacturers that make products for them. Sadly, this is not always the case, particularly when it comes to the manufacturing industry. In fact, there was a time when more than 600,000 children visited the emergency room because of injuries caused by dangerous products (the year 2000). Since that time, laws have been passed, tracking and monitoring has taken place, and improvements have been made. But, according to recent data from Kids in Danger (KID), there is still much work to be done.

Of the 225 products recalled in 2001, more than half were children’s products (118). On average, that was about two new recalls per week. Linked to 672 child injuries and two deaths that year, toys accounted for 41 percent, 23 percent were nursery items, 14 percent were clothing items, and sports equipment accounted for 23 percent of child product recalls. Totals from 2014 show the industry has made massive improvements, with a 95 percent decrease in injuries since the passing of Danny’s Law in 2008 (36 in 2014). The number of products recalls has also decreased, and only 24 percent of the recalls in 2014 were of products made for children (68 recalls in total)—the lowest since KID began tracking recalls.

Although social media has given manufacturers a way to reach more people in less time, the effectiveness of recalls is still severely lacking. In fact, at least 44 percent of companies now have a Facebook page to post about their recalls, but the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows that just over 1 percent of all recalled children’s products from 2014 were fixed or returned, with an average of only 8 percent for each recalled product. If, however, the products were still with the manufacturer, retailers, or somewhere in between, the percentage of products fixed, retrieved, or destroyed increased to 14 percent. Unfortunately, this minimal increase is still placing numerous children at risk.

Parents have plenty of things to worry about; figuring out whether or not the toys, clothing, or nursery items are safe should not be one of those things. But, if an injury or death does happen, those parents need to know where to turn and who they can trust. With skilled experience and a firm committed to victim advocacy, Corsiglia McMahon & Allard, L.L.P. offers the kind of aggressive, compassionate, and comprehensive representation parents need. To find out how we can help with your case, call (408) 289-1417 and schedule your free initial consultation with a San Jose product liability lawyer today.

• Clear and Present Dangers: Children’s Product Recalls in 2001
• The Law That Put Consumers First at the CPSC