Stay Informed Regarding Recalled Products

When designing a child bicycle trailer, it stands to reason that the bare minimum safety standard should be to ensure the wheels, safety belt, and tow bar are safe. Without these three elements, there is nothing else that can be done to make the trailer safe to use. Despite this, too many designers and manufacturers have failed to meet these minimum standards.

The newest example is a child bicycle trailer manufactured by Burley Design from 2009 to 2015. The tow bar was not properly attached, causing the trailer to detach during bicycle rides. Thirty-five incidents were reported before the trailer was finally recalled.

Product recalls continue to occur at alarming rates, and children are often the ones most vulnerable to products that need recalled. Other recent examples include:

• A beginner fish bowl sold by PetSmart and marketed to families; the glass cracked easily, causing cuts and contusions
• Bueno Tumblers (children’s drinking glasses) that had to be recalled because the plastic was easily chewed off and posed a choking hazard
• SalesOne Light Up jewelry being recalled due to leaking battery acid

The fact that so many businesses release unsafe products and target families with their advertising is harrowing. Yet this is the order of the day as far as many companies are concerned. They are not concerned by how many people are injured or even killed. They are only interested in profits.

If you have been injured, or know of someone who has been injured, due company negligence regarding a consumer product, it is important you contact an attorney. The first step is determining just how common the problem is, and just how long the company has known about the safety issue. Only a qualified attorney will be able to learn these important facts and know how to proceed.