Le Hing Inc. is issuing a defective product recall for about 200 baby walkers because of a serious design defect that does not allow the walker to stop at the edge of a step. Babies using this product are at risk for serious injuries and even death, according to a news report in Consumeraffairs.com. The walkers involving in this product recall are intended to be used by babies 6 months or older.

Serious Design Defect

These products were sold at small independent retailers and discount stores in California and Arizona from June 2009 to August 2009 for between $25 and $28. The item number L-0809EN is printed on the side of the box and the walkers are blue or pink with a white tray. Consumers who have these walkers at home are asked to stop using them immediately and return them to the store where they bought it for a full refund. It is not clear based on this news report whether there were any personal injuries or deaths associated with these children’s products. If there were none, it is indeed fortunate.

Nursery Product Defects

According to statistics from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2006, there were about 66,400 emergency department treated injuries associated with nursery products among children under age 5. According to this data, falls were the most frequent cause of injuries among young children. Head injuries were the most common in these types of accidents. During the three-year period between 2002 and 2004, CPSC staff had reports of about 241 deaths — an annual average of about 80 fatalities — associated with nursery products among children under age 5.

Over the last two years, we have seen millions of children’s nursery products such as cribs, bassinets, toys, safety gates, high chairs and play pens recalled for a variety of serious hazards such as entrapment, lead poisoning, suffocation and falls. If your child has been injured because of a defective nursery product or toy, you would be well-advised to get in touch with a reputed California personal injury lawyer, who has successfully handled defective product cases on behalf of injured victims and their families. The best product defect law firms will always offer a comprehensive consultation at no charge to injured victims and their families.

What changes in federal regulations would you like to see in order to make children’s products safer?