Children's Injury and Toy Recalls
The recall by Mattel Inc. is the latest in a summer slew that involves more than 10 million toys in the United States alone. The most alarming has been the recall of toys covered with lead-based paint. Children who ingest leaded paint can suffer brain damage, and improper disposal of lead-based paint can damage the environment. As Orlando injury lawyers this summer's recalls provide just another example of the lack of oversight in consumer products.
Mattel's recalls cover several hundred thousand "Sarge" vehicles and almost a million toys from its Fisher-Price line, including popular "Sesame Street" and "Nickelodeon" characters. Mattel's decision comes after the June recall of 1.5 million items from RC2 Corp.'s Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway toy line. There are also millions of Batman and Polly Pockets toys recalled by Mattel because of hazardous magnets.
As Orlando injury lawyers we must be skeptical when these companies say they are doing what they can to prevent accidents or lead poisoning. While it is true after the recall occurs manufacturers notify their retailer to remove the products that is too much too late. We believe more should be done to screen these toys to avoid similar hazards to children. Once the toys leave the manufacturer, millions of children are needlessly put at risk. While it may cut into the manufacturers' profit, we believe children are entitled to better safety controls from toy makers. Remember you can always see a list of recalled toys and additional information online by visiting recalls.gov or cpsc.gov.
