According to a report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there were an estimated 59,000 emergency room injuries associated with (although not necessarily caused by) nursery products among children younger than age five in 2018. This translates to an injury rate of an estimated 298 injuries per 100,000 children under the age of five.

Furthermore, high chairs, cribs and mattresses, infant carriers, and strollers/carriages were associated with 66 percent of the total estimated injuries. Falls were the leading cause of injury, and the head was the body part injured most frequently. A diagnosis of internal organ injury, contusion, abrasion, or laceration was associated with most of the injuries.

If your child has been injured by a defective product, let a Florida product liability attorney at Searcy Denney help.

What Makes Children’s Products “Defective?”

Defective children’s products are those intended for use by children but are, in some manner, defective. These products are dangerous and present risks to small children or babies. Children’s product defects are generally categorized into the same three types of defects as typical defective products:

• Defects due to the dangerous design of the product
• Defects due to negligent construction or assembly of the product
• Defects associated with a lack of appropriate warnings

Although some products are subject to recall when found to be dangerous, injuries often occur between the time of purchase and when a recall is issued and communicated. These are the injuries that usually cause a product to be recalled in the first place.

What Are the Most Common Defective Children’s Products?

Most people think of “toys” when they consider dangerously defective children’s products. Certain toys can be flawed and are often subject to recall in Florida and elsewhere throughout the country. However, there are numerous other children’s products that may be defective, including:

• Bunk beds
• Cribs
• Bassinets
• Playpens
• Hammocks
• Strollers
• Bicycles
• Tricycles or “Big Wheels”
• Baby hats
• Baby socks
• Sweaters
• Pajamas
• Shoes
• Other baby clothes
• Pacifiers
• Teething rings
• Baby monitors
• High chairs
• Necklaces and rings
• Sunglasses
• Radios
• Drinking glasses

How to Protect Your Children From Defective Products

Parents in Florida whose children have been injured or even killed by defective products experience a disproportionate level of guilt. It’s simply impossible to protect your children from everything all of the time.

Still, there are specific steps that parents can take to protect their children to the extent possible, including:

• Understand Age Warnings. Many toys come with small-print, difficult to read age warnings. Many parents tend to ignore these in the excitement of watching their children react to their new toys. Do not ignore these warnings — take them seriously.
• Read Safety Instructions. Safety instructions tend to be ignored. Read them carefully and follow them to the letter.
• Beware of Batteries. Batteries are found in a significant number of children’s products. The danger is that children tend to put batteries into their mouths, particularly so-called “button” batteries, like watch batteries. Never leave batteries lying around where children can get a hold of them.
• Proper Storage. It’s difficult for parents to maintain a neat and clean house. Nonetheless, it’s important to keep your children’s products, especially toys, properly stowed when not in use. This is especially important for small toys or toys with small parts.
• Examine old toys. Older toys may have been safe when they were new but may become defective and dangerous as they became older, particularly when well-used. Don’t be afraid to discard older toys when they become unsafe.

Contact a Florida Product Liability Attorney Today to Discuss Your Legal Options

Accidents with children and defective children’s products are especially tragic. If your child has been injured by a defective product, let a Florida product liability attorney help you through this difficult time. 

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