If you have children in your life that you are shopping for this holiday season, some of this year’s hottest toys are probably on your list of things to buy. However, you may be surprised to know that many of the popular toys have hidden hazards that can put children at risk of serious injuries and fatalities. Each year, safety organizations come out with their list of most dangerous toys. The list usually includes toys that have sharp edges, present choking hazards or contain toxic substances that can cause serious health complications if ingested. The World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc. (W.A.T.C.H.) recently released its 50th annual list of the 10 Worst Toys of 2022, which parents and loved ones should avoid purchasing as they do their holiday shopping. If your child is seriously injured by a dangerous or defective toy, you are urged to contact a highly skilled personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
What Are the 10 Most Dangerous Toys of 2022?
When you purchase a toy at a big box store or online, you might assume that the manufacturer designed the toy with safety as a top priority. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. When unsafe or defective toys are sold, it puts children at risk of serious injuries or death. The following are the most dangerous toys named by W.A.T.C.H. –
- Cocomelon Musical Learning Watch: Potential for battery ingestion injuries
- Disney’s Raya Action & Adventure Sword: Potential for blunt force and eye injuries
- Li’l Woodzeez Tickle-Your-Taste-Buds Bakery: Potential for choking injuries
- Black Panther Wakanda Battle Claws: Potential for eye and facial injuries
- Zeus Lion: Potential for ingestion and aspiration injuries
- Dingray Musical Bath Toy: Potential for ingestion and choking injuries
- Ooze Labs Chemistry Station: Potential for chemical-related injuries
- Bunny Rabbit Cuddly Pillow: Potential for suffocation
- Pop’N Fidget Spinners: Potential for choking injuries
- Nerf Pro Gelfire Mythic Blaster: Potential for eye and facial injuries
What Are the Most Common Injuries Caused by Defective Toys?
Toys are meant to provide children with the opportunity to play, to be creative, use their imagination and interact with other children. However, when a toy is defective, damaged or unsafe, a child can suffer a serious injury. In extreme cases, the hazard can cause a devastating fatality. The following are examples of common injuries that are caused by defective toys:
- Choking: This is the leading cause of death in infants. When a child puts small toy pieces in his or her mouth, it can block the airflow from the upper airway into the trachea.
- Lacerations: If a toy has sharp edges or components that break off easily, it can cause serious cuts.
- Toxic chemicals: There are a wide range of chemicals and other toxic materials used in toys. In certain situations, these chemicals can become unstable, which can expose the child to hazardous substances.
- Ingestion hazards: When children accidentally ingest small toy parts, it can cause very serious health complications. For example, when two or more magnets are ingested, it can cause serious damage to the stomach or intestines.
- Inadequate warning labels: Companies have a responsibility to provide adequate warning labels on the packing of all toys. A failure to do so can cause serious injuries.
- Strangulation hazards: Young children are very curious, and love to figure out how things work. While this is usually harmless, some toys come with cords, pulleys or other parts that can increase the risk of a tragic strangulation accident.
What Steps Can Be Taken to Prevent Toy-Related Injuries?
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the U.S. regulatory agency responsible for the oversight of toys and other products, there were approximately 198,000 toy-related injuries in this country in 2020, and 51 fatalities between 2018 and 2020. The following efforts will help ensure that all toys meet the latest safety requirements and prevent serious injuries and fatalities caused by defective toys:
- Stricter government enforcement: Additional tools are required to ensure that the $25 billion toy industry is manufacturing products that are safe for children. The CPSC should be granted the authority to warn customers about a toy that is dangerous or defective in some way. In addition, the CPSC requires increased funding so that they can expand their workforce, conduct more product testing, enforce stricter requirements, provide well-publicized notifications of product recalls and impose steep fines on manufacturers whose toys are recalled or defective.
- Product recalls: Toys are recalled for issues ranging from choking hazards to containing known toxins. The CPSC reports that there were 27 toy recalls in a ten-month period, which led to over one million three hundred thousand units of toys in the U.S. that could cause serious injuries or deaths in children. When unsafe toys are being sold, product recalls ensure that those products are removed from the shelves. However, this is a reactive step. Toy manufacturers should take more proactive steps to ensure that their products are safe before they reach the stores or e commerce outlets.
What Can I Do to Avoid Purchasing Unsafe Toys?
Unfortunately, the current safety protocols are not foolproof, which means that potentially dangerous toys are on the shelves and available to be purchased by unsuspecting consumers. However, by shopping defensively, you can avoid buying toys that are on this year’s Most Dangerous Toys list. Find out what some of the most common safety traps are, inspect both new and old toys for signs or defects or poor design, learn how to identify hidden hazard that appear in toys every year, and do not assume that just because a toy in in stores, or sold online, that it automatically means that the toy is safe. In addition to inspecting the toy, consumers should thoroughly inspect the packaging for any safety issues before letting the child play with the toy.
Dayton Personal Injury Lawyers at Wright & Schulte LLC Represent Victims of Hazardous Toy Accidents
If your child suffered a serious injury from a defective or damaged toy, do not hesitate to contact the Dayton personal injury lawyers at Wright & Schulte LLC. Our dedicated legal team will assist you with every step of the claims process, ensure that your legal rights are protected and that you receive the maximum financial compensation you deserve. We will continue to fight for you until you are completely satisfied. To schedule a free, confidential consultation, call us today at 937-222-7477 or contact us online. Our offices are located in Dayton, Ohio, where we serve clients in Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, Centerville, Toledo, Youngstown, and Miamisburg.
