As the holidays near the Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers here at the Law Offices of William “Bill” Hurst encourage parents to be careful in selecting the gifts their children will soon be overjoyed to unwrap and begin playing with. The joy of the holidays is, for many, the most exciting time of the year. The last thing any parent or family member wants is for that excitement and joy to be overshadowed by an injury, especially one resulting from dangerous toys your children your were so exited to open just moments before.
Over the past two years injuries caused by dangerous toys increased by 40%. According to Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSP) toy related accidents accounted for over 250,000 emergency room visits and 9 deaths in 2013.1 The number one cause of toy related deaths was asphyxiation, which accounted for 7 of the 9 toy related deaths recorded in 2013. The top toys associated with injuries, however, are much bigger and include: (1) Non-Motorized Scooters, (2) Toy Balls, and (3) Toy Vehicles.
Preventing Common Injuries
The CPSP recommends that parents take certain steps to prevent these types of injuries.2 They encourage parents to require their children to wear helmets and other safety gear when riding and scooter or motorized toy. They also encourage parents to keep small toys or small toy parts away from children under 3 years of age. The key to preventing these injuries is buying toys that are appropriate for the child’s age and monitoring how they play with their new toys. Instructing the children on how to play with their toys sooner rather than later will help prevent serious injuries.
Recalls and Dangerous Toys
Every young boy has at some point asked for a remote-control car or airplane and many will be bought this year for little Jimmy to open during the holidays and he will surely be excited to play with his new toy. If no one has checked, however, little Jimmy’s new remote control airplane could be the cause of serious burn injuries or even a house fire. If this new toy happens to be the Horizon Hobbly, HobbyZone Super Cub S Radio Controlled Aircraft there is a chance that at some point its power supply unit or chargers will overcharge the plane’s batter causing a fire.3 Another recently recalled item is “buckyballs” which are tiny, but powerful, magnetic balls. These balls were causing extreme harm to children that swallowed them. Simply checking the CPSC’s recall list could be what keeps your child and your home safe this holiday season.
Parents will also want to be on the lookout for whether certain warning are on products.4 Toys made of fabric should be labeled as flame resistant or flame retardant. If they are not it is likely that these items are flammable and it’s better to just stay away from 
them. Stuffed toys should be washable. Painted toys should be covered with lead-free paint and if they are not the lead in the paint may cause serious harm to your child. Lastly, art materials should be labeled as non-toxic, if they are not ingestion of a tasty crayon may just cost your child their life. Lastly, check to make sure your children’s toys have not become damages, making them dangerous to play with because they have sharp edges or other defects. The last thing anyone wants is for a child to be injured while playing with their new or favorite toy, but if your child is injured while playing with one of these toys call an experienced Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyer immediately so that your child may receive just compensation for the pain and suffering they have endured.
Citations:
1 https://www.cpsc.gov/Global/Research-and-Statistics/Injury-Statistics/Toys/ToyReport2013.pdf
4 https://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/home/safe_toys.html