lead unsafe toys

Learning Disabilities, Developmental Issues, and Brain Injury

Consumers have long been aware of the dangers of lead in toys and household items. Laws restricting lead use in items manufactured for children have lowered parental concern about safety issues. Even cheap children’s jewelry and toys are thought to be safer in recent years, but in many instances, lead has been replaced by cadmium in these products.

Cadmium is a toxic metal that holds the number seven slot in hazardous materials ranked by the United States Center for Disease Control. Tests show many of the toys manufactured in China over the past several years contain dangerous levels of cadmium, but Chinese factories may not be alone in their use of the metal. Personal injury attorneys in California, and around the country, are beginning to take note of this issue as strong evidence points to some of these products as causing developmental issues, learning disabilities and brain injury in children.

Associated Press Investigations in Product Liability

In 2010, the Associated Press conducted tests on a variety of jewelry and toys. Over one hundred items were purchased from retailers throughout California, Texas, Ohio and New York. Testing indicated that many of the items contained unsafe levels of cadmium. Cadmium levels as high as 80 to 90 percent appeared in a variety of bracelets and other jewelry for girls. The AP findings sparked a number of recalls based on elevated levels of cadmium.

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In August 2008, Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which expanded the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) budget as well as allotting the commission more tools to prosecute corporations, speed recalls and progress the banning of lead and phthalates in products. Despite these new laws, there are still plenty of toys on the market that are unsafe and may pose a threat to young children.

In the California Public Interest Research Group’s (CALPIRG) 24th Annual Trouble in Toyland Report, several toy cell phones were reported to emit sounds loud enough to cause hearing loss or impairment in young children. Even though toys containing the toxic chemicals lead and phthalate were restricted this year, a few toys slipped through the cracks. Lead is a potent neurotoxin that can lower children’s IQs as well as set the stage for a variety of other health problems. The negative health effects of phthalates are also severe.

A pre-school book available in stores had 20 times the legal level of lead. Another hazard is jewelry that also contains high levels of lead. This year alone, the CPSC has recalled 1.3 million toys due to violations of the lead paint standard.

These product defects can cause serious harm to children and even death. If an unsafe toy has injured your child, you may be able to recover medical expenses and other financial losses caused by the unsafe toy incident. Call the Mandell Law Firm at (818) 886-6600 for a free and comprehensive consultation with one of our experienced San Fernando Valley product liability attorneys.

Source:http://www.kpbs.org/news/2009/nov/24/consumer-group-says-many-unsafe-toys-are-being-sol/