Britax Child Safety Inc. is recalling 55,455 of its convertible car seats after receiving reports that some kids are chewing or biting on the child safety device’s HARNESS chest pads, which is placing them at risk of becoming involved in a choking accident. Infants are especially susceptible to choking injuries from this parts defect.
The Harness Ultra-Guard System (HUGS) chest pads are located on Britax’s seat shell. The pads are supposed to guarantee proper positioning and offer resistance from forward movement during a car crash while reducing the risk of head injury.
The car seat recall affects Britax’s:
- Boulevard 70-G3
- Advocate 70-G3
- Pavilion 70-G3
These child safety devices were made between June and August of this year. The manufacturer will be giving consumers replacement pads to install on the harness straps. Britax is asking child safety owners to take off the HUGS pads until the replacement pads can be installed.
At The Gilbert Law Group®, our car seat lawyers represents children (and their families) that have suffered serious injuries because a car safety device failed to properly protect them during a crash or posed another type of danger to the child/infant. Over the years, we have gone after large manufacturers in pursuit of our clients’ damages. Please contact our child injury law firm to request your free case evaluation.
Choking Accidents
Young children and babies are especially at risk of becoming involved in a choking accident. They may be at an age where they are more likely to put small items in their mouth and/or are too young to know what to keep out of their mouths. Young kids also tend to have a smaller windpipe and a weak cough reflex, which can make it harder for them to dislodge anything that gets stuck in the throat.
Manufacturers are aware of the choking dangers that kids face and it is their responsibility to make products free from such safety hazards.
Car Seat Lawsuits
More common car seat defects that can lead to serious injuries include weak construction, sudden release, flammable materials, separation of the shell and base, handle defects, harness problems, restraint failure, inadequate instructions, manufacturing defects, and failure to satisfy current safety standards.
You want to work with a child injury law firm that knows how to discern not just what happened during a traffic crash but also, who was at fault. For example, a negligent driver may have caused your car collision, but also your child’s injuries may be more serious than they should have been because the car seat he/she was using failed to properly protect him/her. Also, as noted by the above recall, an injury can occur even when there was no collision because of problems with the way a car seat has been inherently designed or was made.
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- Recall issued for 55,455 Britax convertible car seats in response to gagging incidents, Washington Post, November 9, 2012
- 49 Part 573 Report for volmltary recall o(Britax Child Safety, l11c. Boulevard. Advocate a11d Pavilio11 Car Seats, NHTSA, November 2, 2012
