Personal Injury Law

Toy Safety: What Every Parent Should Know About Toys This Christmas

By Michael Monheit

Toy Safety is Crucial
Parents buy their children toys all the time. Many parents however, don't realize that the toys they buy for their children can be very dangerous. In fact, the toys they buy can cause serious injury or even death. The good news is that parents, by taking the necessary safety precautions, can ensure that their children are enjoying toys that won't jeopardize their health. So what exactly do parents need to look out for and how can they protect their children?

Recalled Toys
Parents need to make a concerted effort to learn which toys have been recalled. Toys that have been recalled are defective in some way and can be very dangerous for your child. Worse yet, it can take between six months and a year for companies to recall all their defective toys. During that time, recalled toys may still be available for purchase on toy store shelves. Parents need to be aware of this danger. Just because a toy has been recalled does not mean that it has been immediately removed from the shelves.

Attorney Miriam Barish says parents can learn about which toys have been recalled by visiting the Consumer Product and Safety Commission website. The website provides a great deal of current information on recalled toys and parents have the option of signing up for email alerts. Parents also can register a toy so that the manufacturer has his or her contact information. By doing so, the parents will receive important recall information from the manufacturer when it becomes available.

Age-Appropriate Toys
It is also crucial that parents buy their children age-appropriate toys. Parents whose children have been injured by toys often wish they knew how their children would use or misuse those toys. Attorney Larry Coben has created a test for parents to determine whether a toy is age-appropriate for their child. If the toy can fit through the hole in a toilet paper roll then it is dangerous for a young child.

Parents with young children should avoid toys with small parts and magnets. Additionally, parents need to be cautious when purchasing a product that is new to the market. It is not to say that parents shouldn't buy such products, but they do need to do their due diligence because new products will not have a proven track record and could be potentially dangerous.

Conclusion
Parents want their children to be able to enjoy playing with their toys. But the last thing these parents want to do is endanger their children's lives. By paying close attention to recalled and age-appropriate toys parents can ensure their children's safety. The right toy can be a great gift for a child, but the wrong toy can have devastating consequences. With the proper precautions, parents can avoid those potentially devastating consequences.

Full post as published by Phoenix Personal Injury Lawyer on November 16, 2010 (boomark / email).