New Recall a Reminder of Potential Dangers of Defective Booster Seats and High Chairs

Target stores, in conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced a widened recall on Circo Child Booster Seats following additional reports of children falling from the seats after the buckle unexpectedly released.

The recall has been announced in the wake of ten more reported incidents of the buckle detaching on its own, resulting in several falls from the booster seats by children.

The current recall covers 375,000 booster seats that were sold at Target as far back as 2005 and expands on a prior recall of Circo Booster Seats that covered 43,000 units in August of 2009. The recalled booster seats are blue with green trim. The seat has the words “Circo” and “Booster Seat” on the front and a white buckle. If a parent has purchased one of these booster seats it should be immediately returned to Target for a full refund.

Child booster seats and high chairs can pose a multitude of injury risks for children. Falls are often the most dangerous of these risks because it can result in a serious head or neck injury that may result in permanent impairment of brain function or paralysis. The most common hazards posed by child booster seats and high chairs include:

• Falls, including backward falls, that may cause serious head, neck and spinal injuries
• Entrapment of a body part
• Lack of stability of the seat resulting in its falling over with the child
• Failure of the buckle mechanism causing falls

Any injury to the head of a child experienced in a fall should be taken very seriously. Head injuries suffered in a fall by a child can be divided into external injuries and internal injuries to the head. An external injury may bleed and typically is an injury to the scalp. Because of the density of blood vessels in the scalp even a superficial cut can cause extensive bleeding. The scalp’s veins leaking fluid or blood into and under the scalp cause the “knot” or bump that may result from trauma to the head.

Although these injuries may be minor and completely heal within a couple days, it is important to seek prompt legal attention anytime a child suffers a head injury no matter how minor it may seem. Some serious head injuries do not manifest signs immediately but can become life-threatening as pressure on the brain builds from internal bleeding. Internal brain injuries are typically far more serious because they may implicate the skull, blood vessels in the brain and the brain itself. Because these injuries to the brain are harder to observe, especially in infants or children that cannot articulate their symptoms, parents should call their pediatrician or go to the emergency room depending on the severity. With children old enough to articulate symptoms, the following signs merit a call to the doctor:

• Prolonged crying or intense pain
• Loss of coordination or dizziness
• Pain in the head or neck area
• Vomiting
• Loss of consciousness (even if only briefly)

Most parents have witnessed some sort of fall involving their child and recognize that it can be an extremely scary experience. Sometimes a child’s fall may be the product of a defective product like a defective high chair or booster seat that has been recalled. If your child has suffered a serious injury caused by a defective product resulting from a fall or any type of accident resulting in personal injury, the experienced Atlanta defective product attorneys at Montlick and Associates have been representing those who suffer injury or wrongful death throughout Georgia for over 39 years.

Our Atlanta product liability attorneys are available to assist clients throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and 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. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.