New Report Indicates Many Children Injured by Unsafe High Chairs
The stress of worrying about the safety of one's children is simply part of being a parent. The number of injuries caused by defective products for infants and toddlers has decreased in recent years because of more stringent safety standards and tighter controls on imports from countries that do not exercise the same level of diligence when manufacturing products intended for kids. While these improvements provide a basis for parents to feel less apprehensive about the danger posed by products designed for kids like car seats, strollers, playpens and toys, a recent report published in the journal Child Pediatrics reveals that many high chairs, which are a standard item in the homes of families with babies and toddlers, are still unsafe.
According to the report, the number of children injured by high chairs rose by 22 percent during a recent seven year period. Approximately 9,400 kids seek medical treatment for high chair-related injuries annually in the U.S. To put this data in context, this amounts to a child being injured every hour in a high chair-related accident. Falls constitute the most dangerous and common type of injury associated with high chairs. When young children fall from high chairs, they can suffer concussions, skull fractures, spinal cord damage, internal bleeding, traumatic brain injuries, fractures and broken bones.
When high chairs are defectively designed or manufactured or lack adequate warnings, the manufacturer and/or retailer of the high chair might be subject to a product liability claim. In some cases, the maker of a defective product like a high chair can even be subject to strict liability for defects that were present before the high chair left the possession of the manufacturer.
While product defects may cause a fall from a high chair, parents should be aware of certain practices that are often involved in high chair accidents. The recent study found that many serious high chair injuries occur because the high chair is located in close proximity to a hard surface like a table, kitchen countertop or ceramic tile flooring. Falls that result in the child striking their head against a hard surface are particularly likely to cause severe head trauma explained the researchers.
The report also emphasized the importance of using the high chair properly. When children are not securely fastened into the high chair and/or the tray is not attached, blocking the front of the high chair, children may fall when attempting to stand up. The report indicates that two in three children who fell from a high chair were standing or climbing out of the chair when they fell. The researchers conclude that ensuring that the belt is always buckled and that the tray in place can prevent a significant number of high chair accidents.
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If your child is injured by a high chair or other unsafe product for kids, our children's personal injury lawyers at Montlick and Associates have been representing injury victims for over thirty years throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast, including but not limited to all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you.
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