Recent Case Results
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently announced a voluntary recall of about 30,400 kids’ bike helmets. The helmets, which were manufactured by Triple Eight Distribution, Inc., of Port Washington, N.Y. and sold under the brand name Little Tricky, were recalled due to concerns that the helmets do not comply with CPSC safety standards for impact resistance, which could cause children to suffer head injuries in a fall.
The recalled bike helmets include a large Little Tricky logo on both sides of the helmet. The recall affects two varieties of Little Tricky bike helmets – the Triple Eight and Sector 9 helmets. The Triple Eight S/M EPS Liner helmets feature a hard black inner EPS foam liner and come in black, white, bone, blue and army green. The Sector 9 S/M EPS Liner helmets also feature an EPS liner and come in gray, white, black, blue and green. Both the types of helmets have an interior label indicating the size and the helmet’s manufacture date.
The recalled Little Tricky bike helmets were sold at bicycle stores, sporting goods stores, and other retailers throughout the United States and online from August 2006 through November 2011. The helmets retailed for about $40.
Consumers should stop using the helmets and contact Triple Eight for a full refund. For additional information, consumers can contact Triple Eight toll free at (888) 548-8518 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s website at www.triple8.com.
Bike helmets are critical to preventing serious head injuries in children. As explained in a recent article in East County Magazine, bike helmets help prevent head injuries in the event of a fall by absorbing the force from one object, such as an automobile, and protecting the upper part of the forehead and back of the head.
In the article, Sue Cox, Director of Trauma Services for Rady Children’s Hospital, stated, “Head injuries have potentially the most severe consequences in the both the short and long term.”
If you own one of the recalled bike helmets, you should stop using the helmet immediately and make sure that your child wears another safe bicycle helmet. If your child has suffered a head injury as a result of a bike accident, you may be entitled to compensation for any injuries suffered. Contact the experienced Illinois product liability attorneys at Steinberg, Goodman & Kalish to learn about a possible personal injury or product liability claim.
Steinberg Goodman & Kalish (www.sgklawyers.com) is dedicated to protecting victims and their families. We handle medical malpractice, product liability, personal injury, wrongful death, auto accidents, professional negligence, birth trauma, and railroad law matters. Contact us at (800) 784-0150 or (312) 782-1386.
(Credit: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)
Parents: Beware and Be Aware. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently issued a warning regarding the risk of injuries to children placed in Bumbo baby seats placed on a table, countertop, chair or other elevated surface. Parents and caregivers are reminded to only place children in the Bumbo seats while the seat is on the floor. The Bumbo baby seat is an incredible popular children’s product, with approximately 3.85 million Bumbo seats sold in the U.S. since 2003.
Babies frequently escape free from the Bumbo seat by arching their backs, leaning forward or sideways, or rocking back and forth. Infants between 3 and 10 months have been known to suffer serious head injuries, including skull fractures and concussions, after falling from a Bumbo seat that is on an elevated surface. In fact, the CPSC and Bumbo International, the manufacturer of the Bumbo baby seat, are aware of at least 45 incidents since October 2007 in which children fell out of a Bumbo seat while elevated.
In October 2007, Bumbo International voluntarily recalled the Bumbo seat in order to add a product warning on the front of the baby seat warning against the use of the seat on elevated surfaces. Since the recall, CPSC and Bumbo International have received reports of 17 infants, ages 3 to 10 months, who suffered skull fractures. CPSC and Bumbo International are also aware of an additional 50 reports of infants falling or maneuvering out of Bumbo seats when used on the floor and at unknown elevations, including two reports of skull fractures and one report of a concussion that occurred even when the Bumbo seat was placed on the floor.
CPSC and Bumbo International are also aware of at least 46 falls from Bumbo seats prior to the 2007 recall, which resulted in 14 skull fractures, two concussions and one incident of a broken limb.
If your child has been injured as a result of falling from the Bumbo baby seat, you may wish to contact the experienced Illinois product liability attorneys at Steinberg, Goodman & Kalish to learn about a possible personal injury or product liability claim.
Steinberg Goodman & Kalish (www.sgklawyers.com) is dedicated to protecting victims and their families. We handle medical malpractice, product liability, personal injury, wrongful death, auto accidents, professional negligence, birth trauma, and railroad law matters. Contact us at (800) 784-0150 or (312) 782-1386.
With warmer weather finally arriving to Chicago, many children are venturing out to neighborhood parks and playgrounds. While playgrounds can be the source of hours of fun and happy memories for children, parents and caregivers must remain vigilant about playground safety in order to prevent serious injuries.
There are several things that parents and caregivers can do in order to minimize the risk of injury to children, including the following:
- Visit the playground or park in advance. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to visit the playground in advance of their children in order to identify any hidden hazards.
- Assess the location of the playgroup or park. If the park or playground is located near a busy road or intersection, there should be adequate fences or other barriers in order to keep children from running into the road.
- Take note of the surface of the playground. Playground surfaces that provide cushion for falls can reduce the risk of serious injuries. Wood chips, mulch, shredded rubber, rubberized asphalt and sand are all considered good playground surfaces. Grass, concrete and hard-packed dirt are not as safe. According to Consumer Reports, playground surfaces should be at least 12 inches thick and extend at least 6 feet in all directions around playground equipment.
- Examine the placement and condition of play structures. Play structures, especially swing sets, should not be too close to other structures. Placement of structures should allow for maximum visibility from all locations within the playground. Playground equipment should also be in good condition. If the equipment or structures are not in safe condition, you should contact the local parks and recreation department.
- Remove any necklaces, purses, scarves or other long strings from the child’s clothing. These items can get hooked and can entrap or strangle a child.
Parks and playgrounds can offer a great deal of fun for children and their caregivers, provided that common sense and safety recommendations are followed. The Chicago personal injury lawyers at Steinberg, Goodman & Kalish are committed to promoting child safety and protecting the victims of personal injury accidents. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, contact one of our skilled personal injury attorneys to schedule a free consultation to discuss your personal injury claims.
Steinberg, Goodman, & Kalish (www.sgklawyers.com) is dedicated to protecting victims and their families. We handle medical malpractice, product liability, personal injury, wrongful death, auto accidents, professional negligence, birth trauma, and railroad law matters. Contact us at (800) 784-0150 or (312) 782-1386.
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) has approved a new policy that enhances safety precautions for high school athletes in the hopes of minimizing the number of concussions and head injuries. The new policy requires that a high school athlete who has been removed from a game or competition be evaluated and cleared by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and treatment of concussions of head injuries before the athlete can resume play.
The previous policy, which was instituted just last year, required that that athletes who left a game with a head injury be cleared by a doctor before returning to the game, but it did not require any follow-up evaluations to be conducted in the days following the injury.
According to IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman, “The more we learn about concussions, the more we realize the long-term effects of these injuries and how important follow-up is for student-athletes.”
Legislation is also pending in the Illinois Senate that would require written permission from a doctor before a concussed athlete could return to a game (the legislation has already been approved by the Illinois House), and Chicago’s City Council recently passed an ordinance in January 2011 that would remove water and sewer fee exemption status from those schools that allow athletes to compete in sports with concussions.
The impact of concussions and head injuries in sports has come under increased scrutiny in recent years, largely due to reports of the long-term effects of concussions on professional football players. Startling statistics and information about the effects on youth athletes is also staggering. For instance, a recent New York Times article estimated that more than 100,000 young football players are wearing helmets too old to provide adequate protection, and that an estimated 500,000 may be wearing helmets that are potentially unsafe and require critical examination.
If you are concerned about a possibly traumatic brain injury or concussion to your child as a result of high school athletics, you should consider contacting the knowledgeable Chicago personal injury lawyers at Steinberg Goodman & Kalish.
Steinberg Goodman & Kalish (www.sgklawyers.com) is dedicated to protecting victims and their families. We handle medical malpractice, product liability, personal injury, wrongful death, auto accidents, professional negligence, birth trauma, and railroad law matters. Contact us at (800) 784-0150 or (312) 782-1386.
