Attorney At Law
The holidays are here, and with them come worries about what sort of toys our children may be unwrapping this year. Drum sets and electronics that devour batteries are a headache waiting to happen, but it could be worse. Kids in the Chicago area and beyond are often seriously injured by popular toys.
This blog includes a rundown of five toys that have been the subject of personal injury lawsuits. While we hope consumer safety laws will keep unreasonably dangerous or poorly designed items like these out of the hands of our children going forward, Vaziri Law LLC is ready to help the families of children in the Chicago area seek justice when their playthings cause personal injuries.
Lawn Darts
Lawn darts are the classic example of an unreasonably dangerous toy. Before they were banned by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in 1988, these giant, metal-tipped projectiles killed three children and injured thousands more. Anyone who owns an original set of these with the metal tips is urged to destroy them.
Even the newer versions, which are supposedly safer because they have rounded plastic tips, have been known to cause injuries because kids often ignore the rules of the game and throw the darts at one another.
Buckyballs
Another popular toy that was pulled for the market after kids actually got the opportunity to play with them are Buckyballs. The powerful little magnets allowed kids to build all sorts of things, but they also looked appetizing. Hundreds of children visited the ER after ingesting Buckyball magnets, leading to the toy’s recall.
After a couple of years, the ban on Buckyballs was overturned by a court, and the product returned to store shelves. Since their reintroduction, the number of children swallowing magnets has again increased.
Lesson learned: virtually any toy that contains small parts is dangerous if it poses a choking hazard or can be swallowed. But toys that contain small magnets are even riskier since they can cling to one another inside the body and make removal difficult.
The Easy-Bake Oven
The Easy-Bake Oven is another classic toy that has been redesigned for safety reasons after causing serious injuries. Kids today aren’t at risk of third degree burns or finger amputation, but many users end up burning their hands or mouths because they can’t wait to taste their culinary creations.
Science Kits
Encouraging your kids to explore STEM fields by getting them science kits is a good idea, but many of these sets can be quite dangerous if the instructions are not followed precisely. It harkens back to the days when laboratory kits included uranium and the raw ingredients for mustard gas!
Hoverboards
After Back to the Future Part II came out, everyone wanted a hoverboard. We had to wait a couple decades, but they finally arrived in the 2010s, and they have been some of the best selling toys ever since.
Unfortunately, for many people, stepping on one is an invitation to break a bone. A new report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission found a 127% spike in injuries between 2017 and 2021 due to the use of “micromobility devices.”
Worse than that though, is the fact that some models have burst into flames when improperly charged, causing very serious injuries and fires.
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Don’t let the hustle and bustle of the holiday season prevent you from keeping a close eye on any of the toys your kids unwrap this year. Even trendy items that you may assume are safe because everyone is getting them can pose a risk. You never know when you may have accidentally purchased a dangerous knock-off passed off as the real thing, or got something from a bad batch that was rushed through production to meet the holiday demand.
If any of your loved ones are injured by a defective or unreasonably dangerous toy or other item this year, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Vaziri Law LLC team. We are ready to hold the company that injured your loved one accountable, and help your family get the compensation you deserve.