Each and every year, there are thousands who are injured by defective products in the U.S. But it would be a whole lot worse if we didn’t have the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
In 2012, officials with the CPSC were able to stop about 5 million units of products from getting into the hands’ of consumers. These products were found to be faulty or they violated various federal safety rules.
Our defective products attorneys understand that there were close to 20,000 imported products that were screen in the 2012 fiscal year. Close to 2,000 of them were deemed dangerous or violative. Unfortunately, far too many made it into our homes and injured innocent consumers.
In both the third and fourth quarter of the 2012 fiscal year, officials were able to identify close to 450 violative products. During this time, they screened roughly 12,000 products. Many of these products were discovered during the third and fourth quarter as that’s when we see the most imports, with Memorial Day, Labor Day and the holiday season. Many of the products flagged were fireworks around the Memorial and Labor Day holiday.
Some of the most dangerous products come in the form of children products. Many of the problems included with these items were small parts that served as choking hazards for small children. Toys and child care articles with phthalate levels in excess of federal limits were also product categories with a high number of seizures.
You can never be too safe. Your safest bet is to be a proactive consumer. Do it to protect your friends and your family members. And one of the best ways that you can intercept dangerous products before they make their way into your home is to check the CPSC’s Recall List.
In 2011, 7 of the 13 reported fatalities resulting from children’s toy occurred to children who were under the age of 14. Five of the total fatalities recorded during the year were of females and eight were males. The age range of these fatalities ranged from 8-months to 13-years-old.
Most of the fatalities occurred because of balloons, as choking or aspiration accidents. It’s important that we never leave small products around our children. They’re likely to toss them into their mouths, unaware of the dangers associated.
Companies that manufacture these products have a legal obligation and a moral responsibility to make sure that their products are safe for use or consumption.
We need to keep a special eye on our youngest ones. Oftentimes they cannot recognize a dangerous product and rely on parents and care givers to keep them safe. According to the CPSC, close to 75,000 children younger than 5 visited hospital emergency rooms for nursery product injuries in 2011.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective product, contact the Law Offices of Nicholas Rose, PLLC for a free and confidential consultation. Call 1-877-313-7673.
More Blog Entries:
Defective Ford and Chrysler Vehicles Targeted Amid Fire Dangers, New York Injury Lawyer Blog, June 22, 2013
Elderly Injuries, Deaths, From Bed Rails Prompt Federal Inquiry, New York Injury Lawyer Blog, January 31, 2013
