Sokolove Daily Roundup
by Sokolove Staff on Jan.22, 2010
Recalls ruled the news cycle this week as a slew of announcements flowed from the likes of Toyota, Graco, and Conair. From autos to mops to strollers, it was a tough week for consumers.
Manufacturers involved in crib recalls may soon be required by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) to provide refunds and other monetary credits to their customers to get them to discard defective cribs, writes Bloomberg. Consumers have failed to fully respond to offers of free repair kits to fix product flaws, so many defective cribs continue to be used or resold in secondary markets, according to the CSPC. Refunds or credits may provide more of an incentive to get parents to respond, says the story.
Bloomberg noted that more than 7 million cribs have been recalled since 2007. That number rose again this week when about 635,000 cribs were recalled by Dorel Asia after a 6-month-old became entrapped and strangled in a crib when its drop side hardware failed, according to an Associated Press report. The recall involves 20 models of Dorel Asia cribs with both drop sides and fixed front rails. Some cribs were recalled because a child can suffocate or strangle when the drop side detaches; others because a child can be trapped if a slat is broken or damaged. In one of the largest US crib recalls, the CPSC last November announced a recall of 2.1 million cribs by Stork Craft Manufacturing.
First it was Maclaren. This week it was baby products maker Graco that recalled about 1.5 million strollers after some children had their fingertips amputated after placing their fingers in the vehicle’s hinges. The CPSC said the strollers pose an amputation and laceration hazard to children when opening or closing the canopy. The recall involves the Passage, Alano and Spree Strollers and Travel Systems. The products were sold at major retailers including Babies R Us, Toys R Us, Kmart, Sears, Target, and Wal-Mart, among others.
Just months after announcing one of the largest automobile recalls in US history, Toyota is facing a second major recall. ABC News reports that the carmaker issued a recall of 2.3 million vehicles this week to address potential problems with gas pedals that stick, causing cars to suddenly accelerate. In November, Toyota recalled 4.2 million cars because accelerators could become stuck under floor mats and cause vehicles to speed up, resulting in crashes and fatalities. The company says the current recall is separate from last fall’s action, in which floor mats and accelerators were replaced and changed, according to ABC News.
Also recalled this week: the Lysol Steam Cleaning Mop by Conair Corp. The CPSC said the mops pose a burn and laceration hazard to users. According to the CPSC, hot water mixed with Lysol can forcefully spurt out and rupture the housing unit.
At Sokolove Law, we’ll be watching how these events play out.

January 31st, 2010 on 9:30 PM
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Keep up the nice work.