Now that Americans are making close to 300 million visits to amusement parks each year, every effort must be made to keep our youngest visitors as safe as possible. Although the current injury and fatality statistics for these parks are fairly low, we need to keep trying to reduce them even further.

Every time another child is seriously injured or dies on a theme park ride, we’re reminded that added safety measures might have saved that child’s life. Recently, another young girl died after she fell to her death from a New Jersey Ferris wheel. She had won the right to visit the park with classmates after earning top grades. Questions are now being raised as to whether or not safety belts or other devices might have prevented her tragic death.

Explain Your Group’s Safety Rules Before Leaving for Any Park Grounds

It’s important for all adults to sit down and have thorough safety talks with teens and young children before taking them to any amusement parks or allowing them to go with supervised groups. After children and teens are informed about the various hidden dangers present at amusement parks, they should be told that they must behave properly or they’ll not be allowed to board any further rides that day.

Important Amusement Park Safety Tips

Here are some basic tips that should help you keep your kids safe when you take them to a theme park or allow them to visit with other adults:

• Make sure there will be adequate adult supervision. Never allow your child to visit any amusement park unless you’ve personally checked to be sure that there will be an adequate number of adult chaperones accompanying the group;
• Abide by all park rules. All young children and teens must abide by the park’s rules concerning minimum height and age requirements for boarding various rides. If you’re concerned about your children obeying the rules, either don’t allow them to go or personally sign up as one of the chaperones;
• Find Out When the Major Rides Were Last Inspected. Feel free to phone ahead and ask when the most dangerous rides were most recently inspected. Most of them are usually checked on a daily, weekly, monthly or annual basis.
• Ask about the experience level of those who operate and monitor the rides. Just because a young high school or college student can run the controls, it doesn’t mean he or she has enough training and experience to properly protect you and your kids once you’ve taken off on a ride;
• Use common sense and avoid the most dangerous-looking rides. Although many children are tempted to try and prove their bravery by riding on massive rollercoasters and other scary rides, make sure the supervising adults know which types of rides your children can and cannot ride. Having children wear specific colors to make it easier for the chaperones to keep up with this type of information may prove helpful;
• Keep kids together and don’t let them venture into forbidden areas. An adult should always accompany every child or group of children leaving the main group to get refreshments or use the restrooms. Always count the number of kids with you after getting off rides or leaving restaurants or food stands;
• Make sure the supervising adults are able to provide adequate water and sunscreen. It’s too easy for children and adults to become dangerously dehydrated or overexposed to the sun in most amusement parks. Schedule regular breaks so that everyone can rest in the shade (or indoors where there’s air conditioning) while eating meals or enjoying occasional cold drinks or special treats;
• On larger rides, try to have at least one adult accompany each group of kids to prevent unnecessary horseplay. Since even a gentle or playful push can cause a child to lose their footing and suffer a serious injury, be sure to tell children and teens that there will be “zero tolerance” regarding horseplay. Offenders will be “grounded” for the remainder of the day if they fail to act safely;
• Tell children to always remain seated on rides until they’re told they may disembark. Always keep at least one chaperone with each group of children boarding the rides so they can check and be sure all safety bars have been locked before the kids have taken off on any ride;
• Keep sick children at home. Since health problems can quickly worsen, never let sick children or teens visit amusement parks. Make sure that at least one chaperone has been designated to carry all medications for the children who suffer from chronic conditions;
• Immediately report dangerous staff (or visitor) behavior to park officials. If workers aren’t properly handling their safety tasks, report them at once. Likewise, it’s wise to privately report any suspicious behavior (including illegal drug use) by other park visitors to the park officials so that no one’s safety will be compromised.

If every child is carefully supervised at amusement parks, injuries can be minimized. All kids deserve the chance to one day recall how much fun they had eating cotton candy, ice cream and other treats while visiting with friends and waiting for more rides on rollercoasters, Ferris wheels and other special attractions.

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Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients for almost twenty years.  Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes great pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.

Elizabeth Smith, J.D., M.A., is a freelance writer who has successfully written about general health, safety, legal, medical and business topics for over twenty years. She has also served as the author and co-author of two professional legal texts.

by Elizabeth Smith

Young children often dress up in odd costumes and jewelry while playing various games. Unfortunately, they frequently put jewelry pieces in their mouths, increasing their chances of swallowing numerous germs and harmful substances. Since many negligent importers and manufacturers keep marketing children’s costume jewelry containing harmful substances (or covered with excessive lead-based paint), health concerns keep mounting.
For this reason, all parents and caregivers are urged to check their children’s costume jewelry to be sure it wasn’t manufactured or imported by the companies named below, during the years referenced.  A number of the children’s costume jewelry recalls issued since January of 2010 are set forth below.

Recent Recalls of Children’s Play Jewelry Items

• In June of 2011, EK Success Brands recalled about 75,000American Girl Crafts™ Pearly Beads & Ribbon Bracelets Kits because they violated federal lead paint standards;
• In September of 2010, D&D Distributing-Wholesale recalled about 19,000“Love Tester” Mood Rings and 4,000Necklaces due to their excessive lead content that can cause “adverse health effects;”
• In July of 2010, Tween Brands recalled about 137,000 pieces of children’s metal jewelry containing high levels of cadmium;
• In June of 2010, SmileMakers Inc., of Spartanburg, South Carolina, recalled about 66,200 Children’s Happy Charm Bracelets and 2,200 Football Rings because they contained unacceptable, high levels of the toxic substance cadmium;
• Also in June of 2010, Wilton Industries recalled about 7,300 Children’s Tiaras because they contained an excessive amount of lead;
• In May of 2010, Claire’s Boutiques Inc., of Hoffman Estates,Illinois, recalled about 19,000“Best Friends” Charm Bracelet Sets because they contained high levels of cadmium;
• In March of 2010, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a warning concerning the high levels of cadmium in Children’s Winter and Holiday-Themed Charm Bracelets(an unknown quantity were sold);
• In February of 2010, Playmates Toys of Costa Mesa, California, recalled about 252,000Children’s Toy JewelrySets because they contained excessive amounts of lead;
• Schurman Fine Papers, of Fairfield, California, recalled about 174,000Papyrus Brand Greeting Cards with Braceletsin February of 2010because the paint covering the bracelets contained so much lead that they violated the federal lead paint standard; and
• In January of 2010, FAF Inc., of Greenville, Rhode Island, recalled 55,000Children’s Metal Necklaces(sold exclusively at Walmart’s)because they contained extremely high levels of cadmium.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a recall of all Britax B-Nimble Strollers due to possible brake problems. About 20,000 of these strollers were sold in the United States and close to 800 in Canada. In its notice, the CPSC tells consumersto stop using these strollers immediately and reminds everyone that it’s against the law to try and sell recalled products.

Britax has received about seven complaints regarding the brakes on these strollers.  However, no injury reports have been received. When the stroller brakes aren’t properly set or fully engaged they can move, putting children at greater risk for injuries.

Specific Identity of Recalled Strollers

Britax Child Safety, Inc., of Charlotte, North Carolina, imported these strollers. The company says that these Britax B-Nimble umbrella strollers were manufactured in China and sold online and in mass merchandise and juvenile product stores between September 2010 and June 2011. The strollers were sold for approximately two-hundred dollars ($200).

To help consumers quickly identify the recalled strollers, Britax has said that their  manufacturing dates and model numbers are noted on the right (or left) sides of their lower frames/tubes. The specific model numbers being recalled are:  U311771, U311773, U311775 and U311780. The strollers were sold in the following colors: black and white, green, black and silver and red.

Recommended Protective Action for Consumers

All consumers are asked to stop using these B-Nimble strollers at once and to contact Britax directly to request an “improved replacement stroller.” Consumers can reach Britax       toll-free by calling 1-(888) 427-4829, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time). Alternatively, Britax customers can contacta company agent at the firm’s Web site: www.britaxusa.com. (Canadians seeking more information about these same strollers sold in their country may want to read Health Canada’s press release available online at: http://cpsr-rspc.hc-sc.gc.ca/PR-RP/recall-retrait-eng.jsp?re_id=1352).

Further Warnings for All Consumers

If you believe that you own other Britax children’s products, you may want to conduct additional research on the Health Canada and CPSC databases since the company has had other products recalled during the past two years.

One final warning for all consumers: Be extremely careful when buying any children’s products at professional resell stores since recalled items may not always be promptly removed from their sales floors.

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Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients for almost twenty years. Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes great pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.

There’s been a marked increase in the number of recalled shades and blinds during the past few years. Far too many children keep getting their necks and heads caught in the cords and drawstrings of these products while playing. Serious strangulation risks can develop in just a matter of seconds.

Roman shades are frequently involved in many of the recalls. However, roll-up blinds pose their own share of risks. To help consumers make sure they’re not still using any of these products, we’ve surveyed all of the recalls from the past few years and compiled a representative list of many of the recalled brands.

We suggest you print out this article and walk through every room in your home, making sure you can’t find any of the listed shades or blinds. Our children and seriously disabled family members are counting on us to remove all dangerous products from our homes.

The first list set forth below names the recalled shades and blinds in alphabetical order, according to the store names whether they’ve been sold exclusively. The second list names the manufacturers, in alphabetical order, of the various blinds and shades. Should you find any of these recalled products hanging in your home, we suggest you take them down immediately. (Note: We’ve posted a link to the comprehensive list of all of the CPSC recalled shades and blinds we reviewed from recent years at the end of this article.)

Exclusive Sellers of Recalled Shades and Blinds During Recent Years

• Ace Hardware/Big Lots: 2009 Recall of Roll-up Blinds manufactured by Lotus & Windoware;
• Big Lots: 2009 Recall of Matchstick Roll-up Shades by International Merchandise;
• Blair: 2010 Recall of Roman Shades;
• IKEA: (1) 2008 Recall of all Roman Blinds – A child’s death prompted this recall; (2) 2009 Recall of Roman Blinds prompted by a near strangulation; (3) 2010 Recall of all Roman Blinds and all Roll-up Blinds;
• Jo Ann Fabric and Craft Stores: 2010 Recall of all Roll-up Blinds;
• JC Penney: 2009 Recall for repair of Roman Shades and Roll-up Blinds; Recall prompted by near strangulation of child;
• Land of Nod: 2009 Recall to Repair Roman Shades made by Airtex Designs Group;
• Lowe’s Stores: 2010 Recall to repair Roman Shades and Roll-up Blinds; Recall prompted by two near child strangulations;
• Target:2009 Recall to repair Victoria Classics Roman Shades;
• Walmart:2009 Recall to repair Roll-up Blinds and Roman Shades;

Alphabetical List of Recalled Shades/Blinds by Names of Manufacturers

• American Vintage Group: 2009 Recall to repair Faux Wood Blinds;
• Draper Inc: 2009 Recall of Roman Shades;
• Ethan Allen: 2010 Recall to repair Roman Shades;
• Hanover Direct/Domestications: 2010 Recall of Roman Shades, Roll-up Blinds and Roller Blinds; Recall prompted by the strangulation death of a child;
• Lutron Electronics: 2010 Recall to repair Roman Shades;
• Oriental Furniture: 2010 Recall to repair Roman Shades and Roll-up Blinds;
• Smith & Noble: 2010 Recall of Roman and Roller Shades; Recall prompted by a near strangulation; and
• Vertical Land: 2009 Recall to repair Window Blinds; Recall prompted by the strangulation death of a child

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Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients for almost twenty years. Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes great pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.

According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, during one recent year, more than 120,000 children under the age of five were harmed by household cleaners. This frightening statistic should remind all of us that while it’s important to keep our homes clean, we’ve got to avoid using any products that can easily harm our children and pets.  After reading this article, we hope you’ll conduct a safety check on all of the household products you’re currently storing on shelves and under sinks. You may also want to check on everything you’re storing in your garage.

The following list names specific types of household products that should never be kept on hand, even though they may help keep things sanitized or kill unwanted bugs.

Avoid These Household Cleaning and Related Products

• Big name brand, conventional cleaners. These are the ones that can quickly cause a cloud of dust to rise up and almost choke the person who’s trying to clean a sink area or bathtub. Other cleaners contain ammonia, which can cause liver and kidney damage. As an alternative, consider buying popular, non-toxic cleaners made by such companies as Method and Seventh Generation. A number of regular grocery stores now stock those alternative brands;
• Regular oven cleaning products. Far too often, these products create toxic fumes that can harm people’s respiratory systems. Oven cleaners can also cause users to suffer chemical burns;
• Air fresheners. Try to avoid using these, even if they claim to only contain “natural” substances. Unfortunately, the majority of air fresheners still contain “phthalates.” These chemicals can cause birth defects in children, as well as reproductive and hormonal problems in adults. People do not need artificial air “fresheners” that can actually irritate their lungs and worsen their asthma;
• Antibacterial soaps. Since many of these contain the common antibacterial additive triclosan, it’s probably best to just use basic soap and water when washing your children’s hands or your own. Research has shown that triclosan gets stored in the human body and can negatively impact the development of a child’s immune system. Furthermore, if too many of us keep using antibacterial products, our society will continue creating new “super-bugs” that are highly resistant to antibiotics;
• Chemical herbicides and insecticides. Considering how many toxins are needed to kill a variety of unwanted bugs and other pests, you definitely want to avoid storing these substances in your home or garage. Many of the best known products for killing ants, roaches and weeds are known to be very harmful to our human respiratory functions and our central nervous systems. Ask a manager at your local plant or landscaping store to suggest a few healthy alternatives. You may also want to consider purchasing these products from Washington state’s Buhach Company, known for its natural, quality pest control products;
• Toxic paints. Although you may be eager to give your house a color facelift after fully cleaning it, avoid purchasing any house paint with questionable additives. Instead, check with your local home repair store for healthy alternatives, keeping in mind that many companies like Eartheasy sell non-toxic paint strippers and other paint products;
• Toxic gardening products. Many local gardening stores and online companies now offer plenty of alternatives to toxic gardening products. It’s no longer necessary to spray home garden vegetables or flowers with toxic substances to keep them growing and looking healthier every day.

Readers needing to locate safe, organic cleaning (and other) products for their homes may want to visit the Organic Consumers Association Web site.

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Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients for almost twenty years. Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes great pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.

Given how fast baseballs fly during most games, it’s a wonder that pitchers didn’t begin routinely wearing protective helmets long ago. Fortunately, at least one sporting goods equipment company has created a prototype that should work for the smallest little league players all the way up through their adult counterparts in the major leagues.

Need for This Type of Gear

All too often, head injuries cause players of various sports to sustain serious, if not fatal, conditions. Brain swelling, concussions, comas and other less predictable conditions can develop. One such case involved Gunnar Sandberg, a teenage pitcher for Marin Catholic High. After he was struck by a line drive, Sandberg suffered major brain swelling. His doctors had to place him in a medically induced coma to try and diminish the swelling. Sandberg’s injury reminded many sports officials, as well as the general public, that football players aren’t the only ones in danger of suffering traumatic brain injuries. Fortunately, Sandberg’s treatment proved successful. He’ll be returning to the pitcher’s mound this spring, gladly wearing a new pitcher’s helmet.

According to the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), other young people have suffered even more serious baseball injuries. In fact, the CPSC quoted statistics for one year during which 21 children died due to their baseball head injuries. (Another 38 young people died that same year after baseballs hit them in the chest.)

Description of New Pitcher’s Helmet (and Other Possible Future Headgear)

Sandberg and others will be pleased that the new pitcher’s helmet designed by Easton-Bell shouldn’t interfere with their pitching duties. It’s made of expanded polystyrene (EPS) that’s very lightweight and capable of absorbing energy. Easton-Bell scientists designed the helmet after viewing the footage of 5,000 pitchers playing baseball.

Sandberg’s own father seems pleased with the results. After first seeing the new helmet, Bjorn Sandberg said, “A product like this will give us much more confidence when he’s out there.” The helmet looks a bit like a baseball cap enhanced with quality padding in many of a pitcher’s most vulnerable areas.

Other baseball players will get their first chance to purchase one of these helmets by the fall of 2011. Easton-Bell CEO Paul Harrington says that if the baseball pitcher’s helmet quickly catches on with players, the company will begin looking at other sports in need of additional protective head gear.

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Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients for almost twenty years. Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes great pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.

There will always be a group of people who love nearly every dog breed. Furthermore, when specially trained, some rather large dogs help America’s disabled handle critical daily living tasks. Yet some rather aggressive dogs still need to be watched closely. They should never be given as pets to small children and those who exhibit a poor sense of balance when walking.

To reduce everyone’s chances of being bitten by a dog, it can help to review the breeds most likely to attack a stranger when they feel provoked. Here are five dogs that frequently appear on lists of dangerous canines.

• (1) Pit Bulls. These dogs became more numerous in the United States back during the 19^th century. They tend to be about 18 to 22 inches tall and often weigh between about 30 to 50 pounds. Although many of their owners are their staunchest supporters, pit bulls can become unusually aggressive with strangers and other animals. They often act fearless and won’t stop fighting until they think they’ve killed their opponent.  If you live near this type of dog, be sure it’s kept in a properly fenced yard and never allowed out except on a leash. Since they were originally bred for fighting, you need to keep a watchful eye on them.
• (2) Rottweilers. These dogs were first bred in Germany during the early 19^th century. They can often reach about 25 inches in height and tend to weigh between 80 to 110 pounds. Although they can be excellent guard dogs, they truly need expert training so they won’t suddenly attack a non-threatening person or other animal. Keep in mind that some Rottweilers aren’t shy about using their powerful jaws to protect their owners.
• (3) Boxers. First bred in Germany back in about the mid-19^th century, these canines are related to the bulldogs raised in 16^th century Europe. Many Boxers grow to about 20 to 25 inches in height and weigh between about 50 to 60 pounds. You can easily recognize these dogs since they tend to be square in shape. Care should be taken to avoid playing too roughly with them as it can be very hard for them to calm back down. While they can interact well with most family members, they can still lapse into unexpected aggression.
• (4) Presa Canario Dogs. These canines can be very intimidating, particularly when guarding property. Early training is critical since these dogs can take on humans as prey and easily get the better of them. Presa Canarios were first raised in Africa’s Canary Islands. It’s believed that some of them were once bred with the dogs of visiting English merchants (such as the Mastiff and the bulldog). They can reach about 25 to 26 inches in height when fully grown and weigh between 100 and 125 pounds. Presa Canarios can interact well with most family members and be good guard dogs when properly trained.
• (5) The Doberman Pinscher. At full size, these dogs can stand about 25 to 28 inches tall and weigh between about 60 to 90 pounds. They first became prominent back in 19^th century Germany. They are highly intelligent dogs who were first used by their owners to guard property. Owners must avoid playing roughly with them since it’s easy for Doberman Pinschers to become a bit too aggressive. However, properly trained, they can still give devoted attention to their owners.

As indicated at the beginning of this article, no one is being asked to avoid adopting any of the five dogs named above. Instead, potential owners must simply act responsibly and obtain thorough training for these dogs so they won’t harm innocent people or other animals.

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Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients since our firm first opened its doors back in 1993. Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes great pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.

A consumer advisory issued by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that nearly 800,000 Dorel Juvenile Group (DJG) baby car seats are now under recall. According to the NTHSA Web site, all of these products were manufactured by the Dorel Consumer Group between May 1, 2008 and April 30, 2009. These car seat models include the infant, convertible and booster child restraint systems and were sold as “stand-alone” seats or with strollers.

Nature of the Risks to Children

Children are most at risk when these car seats’ harness lock-and-release buttons fail to return to their proper locked positions. Once those buttons malfunction, the harness adjustment straps can slide back through the adjusters, creating looser-fitting harnesses (if the children are constantly moving about.) When children’s car seat harnesses aren’t snugly fitted to them, they have much higher chances of suffering serious crash injuries.

Specific Model Seat Numbers and Repair Information

All of the recalled child car seats were sold under such brand names as

Maxi-Cosi, Cosco and Safety First. (The specific model numbers are listed on this page). The Dorel Juvenile Group has agreed to help consumers repair these faulty locking mechanisms by providing them with tubes of lubricant that can be applied to them. Labels will also be provided so that consumers can attach them to the car seats once they’ve been repaired.

Although many caregivers may want to first repair these car seats before using them any further, others can keep using them (prior to making the necessary repairs) as long as they make sure that the harness mechanisms remain in locked positions when necessary. Pulling on the shoulder harnesses can help determine how secure the locks are fastened. (Consumers can contact the Dorel Juvenile Group for more information by visiting the company’s Web site or by calling 1-866-623-3139).

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Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients for almost twenty years. Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes great pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.

Four deaths have been blamed on the older model versions of the Quattro Tour and MetroLite strollers made by Graco Children’s Products Inc. of Atlanta.* For this reason, the company is now recalling about two million of those models. The four infant deaths referenced occurred between 2003 and 2005.

In addition to those four deaths, six other infants suffered either cuts, bruises, entrapment or breathing difficulties after being placed in those strollers. The potentially dangerous Quattro Tour strollers were made before November 2006 and the MetroLite strollers were manufactured prior to July 2007.

All Graco 2010 Recalls Prior to The Current One:

In some ways, the year 2010 hasn’t been a particularly good one for Graco Products. The company has had to make the following recalls earlier this year:

• January 2010.  Approximately, 1.5 million strollers had to be recalled due to dangers of finger amputations;
• March 2010. About 1.2 million highchairs had to be recalled due to the possibility that  the chairs might tip over and harm infants;
• April 2010. Close to 217,000 cribs were recalled since infants and small children might suffer strangulation if placed in them.

Exact Model Numbers Being Recalled

Concerned parents and other caregivers may want to review the rather lengthy list of the model numbers affected. By clicking on this link to Graco’s own Web site, you can browse through the list. You can obtain repair kits for these strollers by clicking on this additional Graco Web page. Frequently asked questions concerning these stroller models can be found on this Graco page

Stores That Sold These Strollers

Purchasers of these strollers probably bought them at one of the following stores:  AAFES, Babies R Us, Burlington Coat Factory, Fred Meyer, Kmart, Meijers, Navy Exchange, Sears, Target and Walmart. A few other stores also sold them. All consumers are reminded to avoid buying any of these strollers that may still be for sale in secondhand stores.

Additional Recall Information

• Consumers can find helpful videos posted on Graco’s Web site that will tell them how to use the repair kits once they arrive.
• Owners do not need to return their strollers to the stores where they bought them. They should just order a repair kit at the link already provided above in this article.
• Consumers who do not have ready access to the Internet or who have questions not addressed on Graco’s Web site can call:  1-877- 828-4046. This phone number can be called 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

We hope this information will help you quickly obtain the repair kits you need for these recalled products.

*(Note: Graco Children’s Products is a unit of Newell Rubbermaid).

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Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients since our firm first opened its doors back in 1993. Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes great pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.

Whether they have their own children or not, most Americans are familiar with the Fisher-Price name since the company has been marketing its highly popular toys and other products to children for many years. Yet whenever one of this country’s major toy manufacturers has to recall a vast number of its goods, it’s always a bit surprising.

At present, Fisher-Price is recalling over 11 million children’s products. Safety concerns have prompted the recall of many of the company’s toys, tricycles and high chairs.  The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently stated that the tricycles and high chairs have been directly blamed for some children’s injuries. In fact, six of the ten children known to have suffered harm had to receive medical attention. These injuries involved Fisher-Price’s Trike and Tough Trike toddler tricycles. Many of these tricycles feature well known characters such as Dora the Explorer and Barbie. Apparently, the plastic ignition keys located near these tricycles’ seats can cause a variety of injuries to children who accidentally fall onto them. Some kids have even suffered genital bleeding from these accidents.

Fisher-Price has also had to recall more than one million of its Healthy Care, Easy Clean and Close to Me High Chairs due to fourteen separate complaints. It seems that when people use the pegs on the backs of these high chairs to store the trays, children who fall on them can injure themselves. In fact, seven of the fourteen children who were injured required stitches due to this design defect.

Although the CPSC is very concerned about these product defects, they are pleased that Fisher-Price is offering free repairs and replacements to consumers. While the vast majority of these high chairs were sold in the United States, close to 400,000 of them were sold in Canada.

Additional Fisher-Price Recalls

The other current Fisher-Price products being recalled include over 2.8 million

Baby Playzone Crawl & Cruise Playground toys, Baby Gymtastics Play Wall toys, Baby Playzone Crawl & Slide Arcade toys, Ocean Wonders Kick & Crawl Aquarium toys, Bat & Score Goal toys and 1-2-3 Tetherball toys. Apparently, when the valves come off these toys’ balls, they pose a choking hazard to children. Consumers have already reported more than 50 such valves coming off the balls.

Finally, Fisher-Price is also recalling about 120,000 Little People Wheelies Stand ‘n Play Rampway toys. (That figure covers both the U. S. and Canadian sales of these toys). These products were sold between April and late September 2010 to mass merchandise stores in both countries. The main danger posed by these “rampway” toys occurs when the wheels on the green and purple cars come off, creating serious choking risks to children.

California Personal Injury Attorneys

Please respond to our firm’s recall update by removing these toys from your home so you can obtain free repairs or replacements for them. We hope this massive recall will also remind you to be extra careful when buying any children’s toys or products in secondhand stores. Always ask a secondhand store sales clerk to look up any toy or product you’re interested in buying on the Internet — so you can be sure that it isn’t the subject of a current or past recall.

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Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients since our firm first opened its doors back in 1993. Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes great pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.