Orlando Injury Lawyers Discuss Mega Brands Recall of Magnetic Children's Toys
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Division issued a recall of a children's toy known as Magnetix Magnetic Building sets manufactured by Mega Brands America, Inc. In excess of 4 million sets are involved.
The CPSC has conducted five recalls with more than eight million products containing magnets that could come loose and fall out of the product. As Orlando injury lawyers we recognize that these types of products cause significant risk to young children. If two or more magnets are swallowed, they can attract to one another through intestinal walls. When this happens, the magnets can become trapped in the body and require immediate medical treatment, as well as cause significant personal injury.
To date, CPSC and Mega Brands are aware of one death, one aspiration and 27 intestinal injuries. Emergency surgical intervention was needed in all but one case. At least 1,500 incidents of magnets separating from the building pieces have been reported. Although the hazard was initially thought to be a problem primarily for children younger than six, it has since been learned that at least ten injuries involved children between the ages of 6 and 11 years old.
If a child swallows more than one tiny powerful magnet detached from the plastic building pieces or one such magnet and a metallic object, the objects can attract to each other inside the intestines and cause perforations and/or blockage, which can be fatal, if not treated immediately. The CPSC is urging consumers to immediately report any incidents of loose magnets to the CPSC Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or to the CPSC web site.
