Ford and Toyota Issue Recalls

Ford Motor Company and Toyota Motor Sales have both issued recalls for vehicles.  Toyota issued a voluntary safety recall involving 2006 to early 2011 model year RAV4 and 2010 model year Lexus HS 250h vehicles sold in the U.S.  Ford’s recall is for its 2013 Escape SUVs.

Toyota Recall

Toyota reports in its press release of the recall:

“Toyota has determined if the nuts on the rear suspension arm are not tightened following the proper procedure and torque specification during a rear wheel alignment service, excessive play may occur at the threaded portion of the arm, followed by rust formation.  If this were to occur, the threaded portion of the rear suspension arm may wear and cause the arm to separate.”

 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) notes that failure of the rear tire rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, […]

CPSC Sues Buckyballs Maker to Pull the Dangerous Toys From the Market

We have reported on the warnings issued by both the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and by health advocates in the UK regarding children ingesting Buckyballs, a set of round, high-powered magnets that are meant to be used by adults as a stress-relieving desk toy.

When multiple magnets are swallowed, they often adhere through the intestines or bowel causing obstructions and/or tears in the intestinal lining.  Immediate surgery is necessary to prevent further damage and to remove the magnets and repair the damage.

Since the CPSC issued the warning in November, however, it has received over one dozen reports of children ingesting the magnets, many of which required surgical intervention. Now, the CPSC has filed an administrative complaint against Maxfield & Oberton Holdings LLC, the toymakers, “alleging that Buckyballs and Buckycubes contain a defect in the design, packaging, warnings, and instructions, which pose a substantial risk of injury to the public.”

While Maxfield & […]

Parents Urged to Keep Laundry Pods Away from Children

Once again, manufacturers of a product intended for use by adults have packaged a product in a way that appeals to children, leading to injury. We previously reported on Buckyballs, an adult stress-relieving toy that is made of small magnets, that appeals to young children who swallow the magnets, requiring surgery.  Now, ABC News reports that children are mistaking the new single-dose laundry detergent packets, such as Tide Pods, for candy.

An 18-month-old child had to be rushed to the emergency room with severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhea after he swallowed a pod believing it to be candy.  Five months later, according to ABC News, nearly 1,200 children have been treated for swallowing laundry detergent, and eleven of them are critically ill on ventilators.  The new laundry packets were first introduced in February.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) issued a warning on May 17 “urging the public, […]

Small magnets pose risk to children if ingested

We previously published an article warning parents of the health hazards posed to children by Buckyballs, a set of round, high-powered magnets that are meant to be used by adults as a stress-relieving desk toy.  Now, the dangers of small magnets are in the headlines again after an article in the Lancet reports two cases of children being injured after swallowing the small magnets in the U.K.

The authors were particularly concerned of the swallowing incidences, one by an 18-month-old and the other by an 8-year-old, since they both happened within the last 18 months and no other cases had occurred in the UK.  The 18-month old swallowed ten small, round magnets.  The older child swallowed two 2-cm long magnetic strips.  Both children had to have the magnets surgically removed, and both made a full recovery.  Although the US and Canadian governments have both issued health warnings regarding small magnets, […]

CDC Lowers Amount of Lead Considered Toxic in Children

CDC lowers toxicity level of lead by 50 percent

Our Pennsylvania product liability attorneys have reported on numerous occasions about the dangers posed to children from every-day products – including batteries and magnets.  While both of these pose swallowing hazards to children, some toys have been shown to contain lead which can lead to lead poisoning.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that excess lead exposure affects the nervous system and can cause a range of health effects, from behavioral problems and learning disabilities, to seizures and death. The EPA reports that children six years old and younger are most at risk. Some of the adverse affects from lead exposure include: damage to the brain and nervous system; behavior and learning problems, such as hyperactivity; slowed growth; hearing problems; headaches; anemia; and in rare cases of acute lead poisoning from ingestion of lead, seizures, coma and even death. […]