Defective Child Equipment

For a parent, nothing is worse than seeing your child in pain, especially when the pain is caused by a product or equipment marketed for children. Manufacturers and distributors have an obligation to verify that products primarily marketed towards children, such as toys, are safe for use. Unfortunately, there are far too many dangerous and defective child products on the market today that may put children at risk of injury. If your child has been injured as a result of defective child equipment, contact our child injury law firm in Gainesville, FL, to help you seek financial restitution.

Common Defective Child Equipment

The federal agency in charge of protecting children from dangerous or defective equipment is The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The CPSC investigates injuries or deaths caused by defective products to determine if the product should be recalled. 

Common injuries caused by defective child equipment include:

Cribs

Cribs that do not meet the safety standards set by the CPSC violate federal law and are dangerous and potentially fatal to children. These requirements include:

• Crib slats must be no more than two and three-eighths of an inch apart.
• The crib must not have loose or missing slats.
• Cribs cannot have a decorative corner that extends more than one-sixteenth of an inch above the post.
• Cribs cannot have a lead paint coat.
• Cribs cannot have a sharp cutout in the headboard that may snag on a child’s skin or clothing.

When a child is injured due to a defective crib, contact an experienced child injury attorney to help recover damages from the manufacturer or anyone in the chain of the crib’s distribution.

Bicycle Helmets

The Children’s Bicycle Helmet Safety Act of 1994 requires bicycle helmets to meet specific standards set by the CPSC. While a properly designed and manufactured helmet may prevent serious injury, a defective helmet may be no better than not wearing a helmet at all. Common helmet defects include:

A product liability attorney can help you prove that your child’s injuries were a direct result of a defective product. Helmets that were sold without adequate instructions for proper use may also be found to be defective.

Trampolines

When trampolines are defective, all users are at risk. Trampolines are high off the ground, propel users several feet in the air, and are made of metal; so defects can cause injuries ranging from minor cuts and bruises to potentially lethal wounds. The number of trampoline-related injuries reported each year is remarkably high. Common trampoline injuries include:

It is the responsibility of the trampoline manufacturer to ensure that trampolines are sturdy and able to withstand wear and tear. Trampolines may cause injury when they have been improperly designed or when an error in the manufacturing process causes the trampoline to become unsafe. Experienced product liability attorneys may also argue that trampoline manufacturers or sellers made the product dangerous by failing to adequately warn of the product’s potential dangers and provide instruction for its safe use.

Playground Equipment

Although many playground injuries are caused by inadequate supervision by caregivers, design and manufacturing defects can also cause severe injuries. Common potentially dangerous playground defects include:

When playground equipment is improperly designed or manufactured, or when warnings are not clearly displayed or missing entirely, the results can be catastrophic. If your child has been injured as a result of defective playground equipment, contact the child accident lawyers at The Galione Law Firm, P.A. today to discuss your options.

Winning Your Defective Child Equipment Lawsuit

In a defective child equipment claim, your defective toys and equipment attorney can help you prove that:

Your attorney may also investigate any warnings the company has issued about the product. Even if a warning was issued, the company may still be held responsible if the warning was overly broad, contained confusing or convoluted language, or the print was too small to read.

Serious child injuries can lead to significant financial and emotional burdens to parents or guardians. Our Gainesville child injury attorneys have the experience necessary to ensure you receive the compensation you are entitled to. Contact us today for a free consultation.