Babies are cute and precious but also expensive. That’s why it’s important to ensure that you’re purchasing baby products that are safe for your child. Unfortunately, many of the toys, clothes, car seats and other items on the market aren’t safe for babies and can result in serious injuries or even death if used incorrectly.
Babies have already suffered several serious injuries from defective products in recent years. Here are some of the most serious baby product lawsuits filed against manufacturers:
Graco Baby Strollers
If you’re a parent, chances are that you’re familiar with the Graco brand. The company has been making baby strollers since 1946 and is one of the most popular brands on the market today. Unfortunately, it’s also had its share of legal trouble over the years.
Graco has been sued by parents whose children were injured by defective strollers made by them or their subsidiaries (including Costco). These lawsuits allege that some Graco products have design flaws that make them prone to tipping over unexpectedly, even when used correctly, or otherwise malfunctioning during use.
Some plaintiffs say they never knew about these dangers until after their child was injured in an accident involving one of these defective products. Others say they were aware but never expected such serious injuries could result from using a simple piece of equipment like this one.
NEC Baby Formula Lawsuit
NEC’s baby formula has been the subject of several lawsuits in recent years. The most recent suit was filed in May 2017, claiming that NEC was putting babies at risk by selling a defective product. The complaint alleges that NEC knew about the dangers of its formula but failed to adequately warn consumers about them or take action to rectify the situation.
The NCE baby formula lawsuit states, “NEC knew or should have known that its products contained an ingredient or combination of ingredients that could cause serious health problems in infants who consumed them.” It also says, “NEC has not taken adequate steps to ensure consumer safety.”
Baby Bumbo Seats
Baby bumbo seats have been subject to lawsuits. These products are designed for babies to sit up and play but have also been linked to spinal injuries.
The manufacturer has recalled some of these products and faced legal action from parents who believe their children were injured by them.
Johnson & Johnson Talc-Based Baby Powder Lawsuits
Talc is a mineral that has been used in baby powder for decades. The first talc-based products were introduced in the early 1900s and were marketed as “baby powder” or “babies’ cornstarch.”
It wasn’t until 1971 when researchers found that talc may cause ovarian cancer, that manufacturers began adding warnings to labels. However, they did not stop using it altogether until 2016, when Johnson & Johnson announced they would stop producing any products containing talc following a series of lawsuits.
It was alleged that their products caused cancer or interfered with medical procedures such as surgeries or biopsies due to their tendency to become embedded in tissue during procedures like these.
The New York Times states that more than 40,000 plaintiffs have sued the company, claiming that they knew for decades that their talc-based powder contained asbestos, a known carcinogen.
Fisher-Price Rock ‘N Play Recall
The Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play recall happened because of an increased risk of death for babies who use the product. The manufacturer, Mattel Inc., issued a voluntary recall after receiving complaints about infants dying while using this product.
The company had previously stated that there was no evidence linking its products to infant deaths but changed course after conducting further studies and finding that babies could become trapped in the inclined position of the bassinet’s frame and suffocate on their vomit or saliva as they slept face down on their stomachs.
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission states that Fisher-Price reannounced its recall of 4.7 million Rock’n Play sleepers. There have been approximately 100 deaths reported while infants were in the product.
Britax Child Car Seat Recall
Britax is a car seat brand and they’re one of the most popular ones on the market. They have an excellent reputation for safety and reliability, but this isn’t always the case when it comes to recalls.
Britax has been involved in several major memories over the last decade or so. And some of them were due to serious design flaws that could put your child’s life at risk if you didn’t know about them beforehand.
One example is their B-safe 35 infant car seat which was recalled as part of an industry-wide recall by NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) after discovering that it could fold while still holding an infant inside.
If this happened while driving down the highway or interstate at high speeds, then there would be no way for you as driver or passenger to stop it before a serious injury could occur.
From a recent report on Daily Hornet, Britax Child Safety Inc. had to pay USD 2.6 million in a settlement in a lawsuit in California for its Frontier ClickTight and Pioneer Harness-2-Booster seats.
Conclusion
Baby products can be dangerous, but that doesn’t mean we should stop using them. We just need to be more careful about what we buy and how we use it. With the help of this article, you’ll know what to look for when buying baby items so you can protect your family from unwanted harm.
