As a West Virginia personal injury lawyer, it’s not uncommon to see cases involving defective toys. While most parents know to keep dangerous chemicals away from their children, not many people consider the potential dangers of a toy that hasn’t been properly manufactured. Luckily, defective toys are treated differently than many other defective product cases. As a result, family members have more legal options than other product liability cases, due to the inherent vulnerability of children compared to adults. Of course, the best course of action is to protect your children from these types of products to begin with. With that in mind, here are a few tips to keep your children safe and out of harm’s way.
Check for Product Recalls

Before buying a children’s toy or crib, make sure to visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website. They routinely list all of the products that are currently being recalled, as well as additional statistics on dangerous toys and cribs that are currently found in the United States. If you’re unsure of a manufacturer, checking the CPSC’s website can be a good way of either setting your mind at ease or giving you further cause for concern.

Check How Easily It Comes Apart

One of the most deceptive ways in which a toy can harm a child is if it comes apart easily. While adults typically don’t think much of handling a toy properly, there can be serious issues with a product if it breaks down easily in the hands of a child. This can be especially problematic if the toy was built with cheap materials that are easily swallowed or sharp. Before unwrapping a toy and passing it off to your child, play around with it yourself for a few minutes to make sure it’s truly safe.

Check for Dangerous Materials

Sometimes, a product doesn’t necessarily appear to be particularly harmful, even after messing around with it for a little while. In these cases, the real issue can be in the materials themselves. By now, most people know about the dangers of lead paint, but what about other equally dangerous chemicals? Products with chemicals like cadmium should be avoided at all costs.

While it’s always best to avoid a defective product in the first place, a West Virginia personal injury lawyer can help deal with the ramifications of a claim if one needs to be placed.

If you have a concern about your legal rights, remedies, and obligations contact the experienced lawyers of the Law Office of Freeman & Chiartas.