No parent wants to buy something that could hurt the child. As consumers, parents have to rely on assurances from manufacturers that unsafe items will not be sold on store shelves. Unfortunately, there are times when it’s not revealed that a defective product is on the market until someone is injured or killed. This is especially upsetting for parents who are led to believe that products are safe, but end up hurting their child.
Recently, it’s come to the attention of consumers that there is a defective product on the market that may be used by many young children in Georgia and the rest of the country. Graco Children’s Products Inc., which is based in Atlanta, is having safety issues with a wooden highchair it sold by several large retailers.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the seat of the highchair may separate from the base of the chair and cause injury. Graco received 58 defective product reports, and in nine instances, children fell out of the chair.
The highchairs in question were sold between September 2007 and December 2010. Consumers who purchased the chair should stop using it and contact the manufacturer immediately.
When injuries result from a defective product, the next steps can be overwhelming, confusing and frightening, especially if the injury victim is a child. The immediate priority, of course, is to seek medical attention. But then come the medical bills, and if the manufacturer is responsible for the injury, it could be their responsibility to pay for medical expenses. Because of the chaos that surrounds injuries and accidents, it is often helpful to consult with a product liability attorney who can determine all available options.
Source: Atlanta Business Chronicle, “Graco issues recall on Classic Wood highchairs,” Jacques Couret, Oct. 9, 2012