Children’s toys have come a long way from building blocks and baby dolls. In just the span of a few decades, the variety of toys available has expanded almost beyond imagination. This means that toy companies feel immense pressure to create the next best thing or to price their goods lower than the competition. Unfortunately, safety and quality are often sacrificed in the process.
Common Injuries
Every year, thousands of children are hurt by toys. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that in 2012 alone, there were 11 toy-related deaths of children under 15 years old, and an estimated 265,000 toy-related injuries. While some of these cases are true accidents, many are the result of defects in a toy’s design or construction. Frequent injuries from unsafe toys include:
- Blindness or eye injury
- Choking/ingestion
- Burns or electric shocks
- Entanglement injuries to fingers and toes
- Strangulation
- Deafness or hearing loss.
W.A.T.C.H.’s 2014 NOMINEES FOR 10 WORST TOYS
- Air Storm Firetek Bow
- Radio Flyer Ziggle
- Catapencil
- Alphabet Zoo Rock & Stack Pull Toy
- SWAT Electric Machine Gun
- Wooden Instruments
- Bottle Rocket Party
- Lil’ Cutesies – Best Friends
- True Legends Orcs Battle Hammer
- Colored Hedgehog
Ten Dangerous Toys
One non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about dangerous children’s products and protecting children from harm is known as World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc. (W.A.T.C.H.). Every November for the past 41 years, this group has issued a “10 Worst Toys” list in the hopes of discouraging parents from buying potentially dangerous toys. The 2014 list includes nominees from nationally known brands that range in price from $3.99 to $39.99. The nominated toys are sold at major retailers such as Walmart, Target, Toys R Us, Kmart, Amazon, and eBay, and are designed and marketed for sales over safety. W.A.T.C.H. asserts that to make a toy seem more appealing, marketing efforts are often inconsistent with a toy’s own instructions. For example, one 2014 nominee warns children to always wear safety gear while using it, yet the child pictured on the box is wearing no protection at all. Additionally, a well-known manufacturer or a favorite character can often create a false sense of security that a toy is safe. That can be a dangerous assumption.
More Information
You can visit W.A.T.C.H.’s website here to find out additional information about each of the toys on the list. We feel sure Santa has already checked this list at least twice, but to be on the safe side you might want to make sure none of the gifts your kids received for Christmas are considered dangerous by consumer watchdogs.
If you have any questions about this topic, feel free to contact us by calling 305-643-3100 or filling out a free case evaluation form. For more than 40 years, the Miami products liability attorneys at Stabinski and Funt, P.A. have been helping Florida families hurt by irresponsible toy manufacturers. If your consumer right to be safe (and, by extension, your child's) while using a product has been denied, financial compensation might be available for medical bills, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, and funeral expenses.
DISCLAIMER: The information about past verdicts and settlements is based on the unique facts of each case. Every case is different, and future cases may not achieve the same or similar results. These amounts reflect the gross recovery (before attorneys’ fees and expenses are deducted).