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Trampoline Manufacturer Fined $105,000
January 25, 2008

A Missouri-based trampoline manufacturer has agreed to pay $105,000 to the government in a civil penalty. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the penalty is in response to the failure of the company, Stamina Products, from reporting to the CPSC serious defects in its trampolines that were responsible for causing several injuries.

Between April 2002 and June 2005, the company received at least 13 reports of incidents in which the trampoline sprang back open again as it as being folded or unfolded. This caused injuries to consumers ranging from broken teeth and bruises to more serious injuries like blurred vision, broken facial bones, a rotated disc and even two concussions. Stamina Products failed to report these incidents to CPSC on time. The agency was informed of these incidents only in July 2005, more than 3 years after the first incident was reported, and it wasn't until a year later that Stamina Products initiated a voluntary recall.

According to CPSC regulations, a company that finds one of its products has a defect that is capable of causing serious injury or death has a duty to inform the agency within 24 hours of finding out about the defect. Stamina Products was grossly negligent and it does seem like they hoped these incidents would never be brought to light. This penalty should serve as a warning to other manufacturers to be prompt in their response to any defects in their products.

If you have been injured by a recalled or dangerous product, you need the assistance of an experienced California personal injury law firm. Contact an attorney at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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Tree Stand Manufacturer to Pay Civil Penalty
January 11, 2008

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that Ardisam Inc, a Wisconsin based tree stand manufacturer, has agree to pay the government a civil penalty of $420,000. The penalty relates to a lawsuit that alleges that the company, which manufactures tree stands used by hunters, failed to inform the CPSC of serious defects in its Big Foot and Lite Foot brand tree stands. These defects were serious enough to cause the stand to detach itself from the tree leading to the occupant falling to the ground.

The lawsuit claimed that reports of stands detaching from trees were being received as early as 2000. Many hunters had reported receiving grievous injuries as a result of these indents, including broken bones and other injuries. Ardisam failed to report these incidents that were caused by its defective stands to the CPSC. When Ardisam finally contacted the CPSC about the defective stands it was May of 2004.

Federal law is very clear in this respect. Companies who notice that their products may include defects that could cause injuries are required to report these to the CPSC immediately so that the agency can initiate recalls of these products. The longer a company waits to report such defective products, the greater the danger of injuries from the product, which is unacceptable.

In its response to the lawsuit, the company denied that it had been tardy in reporting defects in its hunting tree stands.

If you have been hurt by a recalled or dangerous product, contact an experienced California personal injury attorney at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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Lead Finds its Way into Toy Jewelry
December 24, 2007

Close on the heels of a slew of lead related recalls comes a new product recall, and this time it's something as dangerous as toys - children's jewelry. Toy stores across California are recalling more than a dozen types of jewelry sets including necklaces, bracelets and chains, which are said to contain lead levels in excess of - wait for this - 600 times the amount legally deemed acceptable.

Jewelry is just as dangerous as toys are because children have a tendency to chew on their bracelets and necklaces. This new recall has given parents, already tired of the seemingly never-ending line of products that are being yanked off store shelves, more reason to despair. How, many of them ask, are they supposed to know what's safe enough for their kids anymore? And they're right to be frustrated.

There's more bad news. At the time of going to press, the Los Angeles Times reported that only the first step of recalls was complete, meaning that there could still be lead-laced jewelry lining store shelves across the sate. In all likelihood, they have probably found their way into dozens of Christmas stockings. The thought is worrying to consumer safety experts, parents and retailers alike.

All the recalled jewelry was said to contain more than the stipulated 600 parts per million legal limit. Lead in children's jewelry has been banned according to a new California law that places a penalty of $2,500 for every tainted piece of merchandise sold in stores.

Lead, when ingested by children, can cause serious development problems. It can hamper learning abilities, and cause other illnesses, especially in a child's growing years.

If your child has been injured by a recalled toy or piece of jewelry containing lead, act fast to protect your rights. Call the California personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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Toys Laced with Date Rape Drug Recalled
November 08, 2007

In a year clogged with child-related recalls, this one is particularly bizarre. Millions of Chinese toys found themselves on a list of toys recalled for containing a chemical that upon ingestion converts into gamma hydroxyl butyrate or GHB, more notoriously known as the "date rape" drug.

Already three children in the US and two in Australia have been hospitalized after ingesting the toy known as Aqua Dots. In Australia the toy is called Bindeez and it has had a very successful run in the Australia toy market this year.

The toys are distributed by a Toronto based company, Spin Master Toys, and are believed to have been manufactured in Shenzhen in China's Guangdong province. The toy beads are used in arts and crafts projects and are widely available over the Net. When ingested the chemical on the surface converts in to gamma hydroxy butyrate, leading to loss of consciousness and seizures. Ingestion can lead to the victim going into a coma and even death. The two U.S children who ingested Aqua Dots went into non responsive comas. They have since recovered. In Australia three children have been hospitalized including a 19- month-old child.

The recall couldn't have come at a worse time for the already embattled toy industry. Aqua Dots was one of the few silver linings in a year sullied by the dark clouds of recall. Millions of toys, most of them coated with lead or with removable and ingestible parts, have been pulled off store shelves as a series of toy recalls had toy companies skittish and parents worried. The success of Aqua Dots gave the industry a bit of a breather, and the toy in fact found its way into many "must have" lists as the toy to gift over the holiday season.

The Chinese toy manufacturing sector has been taking steps to protect its image, but nobody seriously trusts that this is the last recall we will hear of this year. There has already been one toy scare too many for anyone to believe that.

If you or your child has been injured due to a dangerous or recalled product, you may be entitled to compensation for those injuries. Contact a California personal injury lawyer at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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Baby Seats that Caused Head Injuries Being Recalled
October 29, 2007

Close to a million baby seats sold by major retailers are being recalled after reports that children were falling out of them.

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One Million China Made Cribs being Recalled after Infant Deaths
September 24, 2007

It's been a worrisome summer for California parents, with a seemingly never-ending slew of toy and candy recalls. First Mattel went into overdrive pulling millions of lead coated toys off store shelves. Then there was the recall of Mexican tamarind fruit candy that was also suspected to have abnormal amounts of lead. On September 22 Simplicity and Greco, makers of children's cribs, announced it was pulling close to a million cribs off the market after allegations of improper design that caused the deaths of 2 infants, one of them in California.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the recalled cribs manufactured in China feature a drop side railing that has been found to be responsible for the suffocation of infants. The fault is in the design of the crib which allows the railing to be dropped down upside down, creating a gap where the child could suffocate.

At least two infant deaths have already been reported. One infant, a one-year-old boy, died in Citrus Heights, California in April 2005. The child's parents sued Simplicity and in June settled for an undisclosed amount. The family's personal injury lawyer now reveals he informed the Consumer Product Safety Commission of the faulty design of the crib two years ago.

Apart from these two deaths, another one year old has died in another crib model, which is not part of the recall but is being investigated by the Commission. The recalled cribs have already been cited in at least 7 infant entrapments.

The Commission has asked all parents to take no chances and immediately stop using these cribs.

It's bad enough when you can't watch your children at play wondering if the toys they are handling will be part of some new recall tomorrow, and it's frustrating when stores are allowed to stock candy that may contain lead or other dangerous substances that cause them harm. At the very least, the crib should be a place where you can be sure they are safe and secure.

If your child has been injured as a result of the faulty design of these recalled products, call the personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group for a consultation today.

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First Toxic Toys, Now It's Lead Laced Lollipops
September 10, 2007

For California parents who've recently spent many anxious days rummaging through their children's toy chests to check if they have been playing with lead coated cars and dolls, there's more alarming news on the way. Turns out the lollipops their children suck aren't safe either. California health officials have issued a warning to consumers to avoid certain Mexican candies that have been found to have high levels of lead.

According to the Orange County Register, the warning is specifically directed against Jovy Shaiky pop tamarind hard candy lollipops and Indy Cerillos Spicy and Sour watermelon flavored lollipops. What's astounding here is not just that increased levels of lead have been found in these branded candies. As a nation we've only recently been though a crash course in the effects of lead posoining thanks to the Mattel toy recalls. The incredible truth is that the Orange County Register in a series of investigations had exposed the fact that California state and federal regulating authorities had long been aware that at least 112 brands of candies, most of them made in Mexico, included these high levels of lead, but chose to keep that information away from the public and health authorities.

This recent announcement is by no means the first. In recent days, California health officials have also issued warnings for Barrilito, Miguelito, and De La Rosa Pulparindo candies.

Lead poisoning is harmful to all but has especially adverse effects on babies, young children and pregnant women. Doctors have advised pregnant women who might have consumed the candy to get tested for lead poisoning.

If you or your children have consumed these lead laced candies, please get in touch with your physician immediately and get tested for lead poisoning. If you believe you or your children have been seriously injured due to lead ingestion from a product you purchased, consult the personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group.

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Study Shows That Recalled Products Can Still be Purchased Online
August 27, 2007

Even though El Segundo, California based Mattel, Inc. has removed all of its dangerous recalled products from retailer's stores, that doesn't mean that parents should stop using caution when shopping for something for their children to play with. There are many other, less publicized recalled products, each of which may pose a serious health hazard. Also, because of the prevalence of online auction sites, recalling a product is no longer a guarantee it is off the market.

According to a recent study, many recalled products are still being sold on online auction sites, such as San Jose, California based eBay. Keri Brown Kirschman, the lead author of the study and assistant psychology professor at the University of Dayton, says she searched for the 141 recalled products on eBay for 30 days. She found them offered in at least 144 online auctions, seventy percent of which were successfully sold to unsuspecting customers. The study recommended that auction sites should have online sellers electronically sign a form that confirms their products have not been recalled. eBay currently has a policy against listing recalled products on its site, but with the sheer number of recalls announced by individual companies and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission every month, they have difficulty enforcing it.

Before you buy a product anywhere, particularly in an informal setting such as a garage sale or online auction, check the US Consumer Product Safety Commission website for recalls. Their site allows you to see the most recent product recalls, as well as search through all of the recalls throughout their history.

Whenever a company widely sells any product, especially products marketed towards children, they have an obligation to guarantee it is completely safe. If you or one your children has been seriously injured by a toy or other product due to a manufacturing defect, call one the experienced product liability attorneys at The Reeves Law Group. A personal injury claim against a negligent manufacturer not only might help injured victims receive fair compensation, it also puts pressure on all companies to tighten safety practices.

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More Toy Trouble for Mattel
August 15, 2007

Just when you thought all the toxic lead coated toys were off the shelves and you could breathe easy, comes a second recall from Mattel Inc. This time the company is puling out close to 9 million Chinese made toys that not just contain lead paint, but may also have small magnets that children may swallow. The toys include Polly Pocket play sets, Batman action figures and die cast cars that contain high levels of lead paint.

The Polly Pocket recall is an extension of an earlier recall in November last year when several injuries were reported after three children swallowed the little magnets and suffered severe injuries All three suffered intestinal perforation which necessitated extensive hospitalization and surgery.

In March 2006, another toy maker, Mega Brands recalled more than 4 million magnetic sets after one child died and four others were hospitalized after they swallowed the tiny magnets. According to medical experts, when more than one magnet is ingested, they stick together, causing perforations in the intestine. The resulting injuries can lead to infection and blockage, and can prove fatal.

Since 2003, a total of 19 children have required surgery after swallowing magnets used in toys.

Even as Mattel cautioned that more recalls could be on the way, and the government warned parents to check if their children were playing with the recalled toys, a South Florida woman named Farrah Shoukhry has filed a lawsuit against Mattel. No details are available at this point. But as Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Nancy Nord says, "There is no excuse for lead to be found in toys entering this country. It is completely unacceptable, and it has to stop."

If your child has been injured due to a defective toy, call the personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group for a consultation today.

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