Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc. and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
have announced the voluntary recall of 284,000 Colorful Hearts Teddy Bears.
The recall is over concerns that the stuffed doll’s eyes might come
lose and fall off, creating a potential choking hazard. To date, there
have been no reports of related injuries.
The announcement comes shortly after the CPSC fined Build-A-Bear $600,000
over a defective toy beach chair. The fine settles claims that the company
allegedly knew that the toys were dangerous long before notifying the
CPSC about the product defect.
The CPSC claims that Build-A-Bear started getting reports as early as
July 2007 that the toy chairs, which are accessories for their stuffed
animals, could cause laceration, pinching, and fingertip amputation injuries
in the event that the finger or another part of the body were to get caught
in the middle of the wood frame while it was being folded. Build-A-Bear
finally reported the defect in March 2009. Prior to that, however, in
October 2008 the company stopped selling the chairs and told stores to
give the product back to the storage warehouse.
Build-A-Bear says that with over 200,000 toy chairs sold between 2001
and 2008, it had received 10 injury complaints.
Companies must report a product defect that poses a substantial injury
risk immediately. The CPSC has taken a tough stance against companies
that fail to notify it about any products that pose a serious injury risk.
In 2005, Graco Children’s Products Inc. was fined $4 million for
not notifying the government in a timely manner about over 12 million
products that were dangerous to kids.
Notifying the government about a defective product makes it easier for
the public to become aware that a product may be dangerous. This may prevent
serious injuries from happening.
Build-A-Bear Workshop to pay $600,000 fine in defective toy chair case,
Business Insurance, December 22, 2011
Build-A-Bear Recalls Colorful Hearts Teddy Bears Due to Choking Hazard,
CPSC, December 23, 2011
Build a Bear
More Blog Posts:
Registering Your Kid’s Products Can Help You Find Out About Dangerous
Defects, Product Liability Law Blog, December 12, 2011
Prevent Child Injuries This Holiday Season By Avoiding Dangerous and Defective
Toys, Product Liability Law Blog, November 23, 2011
Little Tikes Recalls Another 1.7 Million Toy Workshop and Tool Sets Over
Choking Hazard, Product Liability Law Blog, October 6, 2011
At The Gilbert Law Group®, our products liability lawyers represent children
and adults that have suffered serious injuries from a defective product.
Over the years, our nationally recognized team of child injury attorneys
and other staff have obtained over $200 million in settlements and verdicts
for our clients. Our dedication to obtaining justice on behalf of products
liability victims is evidenced by the amount of experienced manpower and
resources that we choose to focus on this legal area. We even have an
in-house engineering teem that is able to independently test and investigate
product defects so that we can clearly identify the cause of a person’s injuries.
Contact our toy defect law firm and ask for your free case evaluation.
