Product Liability Lawyer Blog
When kids are on summer break and the weather is nice, it’s a great time for young people to get outside and enjoy fun activities. Unfortunately, there are some summer toys which are really risky for kids. Parents need to make sure they are choosing safe products for their children, checking for recalls and supervising kids so children don’t take unnecessary risks. 
Manufacturers of toys and children’s products are also held to very high standards for safety. If products have defects or cause harm to children because the manufacturer didn’t incorporate the right safety features or warn parents of product risks, there is a good chance the product manufacturer could be held legally liable if a child sustains an injury.
A Boston product liability lawyer should be consulted after a child is hurt or killed by any product to determine if the parents and child can make a case for compensation.
Children often need intensive rehabilitation after serious injuries, or may have lifelong medical problems. Manufactures can be made to compensate victims for all of the damages caused by a product due to a defect, negligent design, breach of warranty, or failure to make the risks clear.
These Products Put Kids at risk of Injuries During the Summer
To help parents to become better informed of the products most likely to cause harm, an annual report of dangerous toys is released by World Against Toys Causing Harm, or W.A.T.C.H., which is a Massachusetts-based consumer watchdog organization.
W.A.T.C.H. listed toy guns, pools meant for children, backyard trampolines, and hover boards among the summer toys most likely to be hazardous to the health of children last year, according to WTOP. The findings from the list are presented at a children’s hospital located in Boston, and the president of W.A.T.C.H. warned that “the toys specifically named on the list aren’t the only risky playthings on the market.” The list is only intended to serve as a guide to give parents insight into the kinds of toys with which they must be most careful.
There are also specific warnings to parents about certain types of products. For example, toy helicopters were found to have sharp, rigid edges which could put children at risk of facial injuries. Boomerangs and other flying objects also had similar issues which endangered children. Toy guns, on the other hand, were found to be dangerous because many shot projectiles with sufficient force to cause children to potentially experience injuries.
Hover boards and self-balancing scooters also came with a strong warning. W.A.T.C.H. explained these scooters had actually been banned by many schools, retailers and airlines because children were getting hurt while riding and also because there were some models of electronic scooters which actually caught on fire.
While parents should be aware of these risks, ultimately manufactures have a responsibility to produce and sell only safe toys for kids and if children get hurt, parents should ensure they take appropriate legal action to hold product makers accountable for harm.
If you are the victim of Massachusetts product liability, call Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers for a free and confidential appointment — (617) 777-7777.
Additional Resources:
Consumer group releases annual list of dangerous summer toys, June 28, 2017, Associated Press
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