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Friday, June 17, 2011

Window Blinds

Window Blinds Can Cause Strangulation Hazard: Products Liability?

The latest item to come under fire for potential products liability is window blinds. It has long been known that some types of window blinds come with pull cords that can pose a strangulation hazard, particularly to young children. So why are there no standards in place to prevent this products liability? Turns out that there are – but they may not be strict enough.

According to the Chicago Tribune, “last summer, safety regulators in the U.S., Canada and Europe told the window covering industry to enact safety standards that would eliminate strangulation hazards. Now, government regulators and safety advocates say that more children could die if the latest proposals being considered by the Window Covering Manufacturers Association are adopted.

That’s because the proposals allow manufacturers to still use cords that children can wrap around their necks, according to safety consultants and regulators who are part of a committee to oversee the standard-setting process.”

Currently, one child per month dies from strangulation caused by window blinds and that number has remained steady over the past couple of decades. Chicago products liability attorneys question why companies don’t voluntarily make their products safer and also why there are not stricter standards in place.

This products liability affecting young children extends beyond window blinds. Believe it or not, Chicago products liability attorneys can tell you that several items marketed and intended for infants and children are not safe. While some have been modified or recalled, there are many products currently on the market that pose a threat to the health and safety of infants and children.

Perhaps most disturbing of all these infant products under products liability scrutiny include cribs and crib bumpers. Crib bumpers are a known suffocation hazard and have caused at least 28 deaths in the past two decades, but the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has yet to recall or advise parents against using them. Additionally, last year at this time the CPSC did issue a recall on over 2 million drop-side cribs due to suffocation, fall and entrapment hazards. It is truly alarming when product liability prevents babies from being protected in their beds – which should be the safest place for them to be when not being held.

If you have had an issue with products liability, speak with a qualified legal professional. A Chicago products liability lawyer can assess the situation and help you seek retribution for a faulty product and its effects on you. Additionally, Chicago products liability lawyers urge you to be vigilant about all products that you use – especially products for infants and children. And remember, just because a product is on the market does not mean it is always safe for use.

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