The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has ordered four companies to pay about $615,000 in fines for manufacturing defective products that posed a safety hazard to consumers. According to an Associated Press news report, these companies improperly sold hooded sweatshirts or jackets that have drawstrings at the neck, posing a strangulation hazard to children, which can result in serious personal injuries or death.

Companies Fined for Product Defects

The companies that face these penalties include Kohl’s Department Stores Inc., which will pay $425,000. Kohl’s had earlier paid a $35,000 civil penalty for failing to report drawstrings in children’s sweatshirts. Maran Inc. and K.S. Trading Corp. of New Jersey agreed to pay about $85,000 and Hill Sportswear Inc. based in the Los Angeles area agreed to pay a civil penalty of $100,000. It is estimated about 120,000 of Hill Sportswear sweatshirts were improperly sold with drawstrings at several stores in California and Texas from 2003 through 2008 for about $8.

These product defects have since resulted in many serious personal injuries. In November 2008, a 3-year-old boy in Fresno, California died after the drawstring in his Hill hooded sweatshirt got caught on a playground set and strangled him. By paying the civil penalties, these companies are denying allegations that they knowingly violated federal law, which requires manufacturers, distributors and retailers to report an incident concerning an unsafe, defective product within 24 hours.

The CPSC in 1999 issued guidelines stating that these drawstrings in children’s clothing are a hidden hazard and can lead to deaths and serious injuries when they get caught on items such as playground equipment, bus doors or cribs. According to the federal agency’s statistics, between January 1985 and January 1999, there were reports of 22 deaths and 48 injuries involving entanglement of children’s clothing with drawstrings on them. In May 2006, the agency announced that children’s sweatshirts or jackets with drawstrings at the hood or neck would be regarded as defective and presenting a substantial risk of injury to young children.

A Products Liability Attorney Can Help

Let’s face it. These companies would not be ordered to pay these fines if they did not knowingly put these defective products in the market. If your loved one has been killed as a result of these dangerous and defective products, you may be able to file a wrongful death claim seeking compensation for medical/funeral expenses and other related damages. A skilled California products liability lawyer will be able to give you more information about your legal rights and options.

The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our source for the facts is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, please contact us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. Most of the best law firms will provide accident victims a free consultation.

We cannot fully inform any party or family member about their rights, options or the economic viability of any claim for compensation without a full investigation and consultation. We will not be conducting an investigation into this matter unless we are retained by a party. We will provide a free, confidential consultation to any, not at fault, person named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.