Parents in our society have gotten progressively more conscious of their own health and that of their children in recent years, and as a result of this ever-progressing mentality, several companies have formulated products that are designed to provide parents with the ability to care for their children without taking unnecessary risks. One of those recent innovations is that of the drop-side crib, which tended to allow parents to either place their children in or remove them from their cribs without suspending the child in an awkward position.
Unfortunately, many of these drop-side cribs have been found to be defective, leading to massive recalls. Below you’ll find information regarding the nature of drop-side cribs, the details surrounding a recent large-scale drop-side crib recall, the dangers, and reports that led to this unprecedented action, and finally how you should proceed in contacting an Arizona defective products lawyer if your child has been harmed by these dangerous products.
Millions of Drop-Side Cribs Recalled
Drop-side cribs have been selling in massive numbers across North America and the rest of the world in recent years for many reasons. One of the main purposes of this design was to allow for the convenient placement and removal of the child from the crib without having to reach over the side. This results in what in theory was a safer process both for the parent and the child.
Based on market analysis, this idea seemed to catch on quite well with consumer parents. The companies involved in a major 2010 drop-side crib recall include Evenflo, Delta Enterprise Corp., Child Craft, Jardine Enterprises, LaJobi, Million Dollar Baby, and Simmons Juvenile Products. These companies have sold millions of these kinds of cribs in the US.
Drop-Side Crib Recalls The Dangers Revealed
Unfortunately, these drop-side cribs have also been the target of much in the way of scrutiny from consumers who have been harmed, government officials in more than one country, and defective product lawyers. Several problems have been encountered, but at least one recent recall centers on what’s being termed a manufacturing problem.
Stork Craft Manufacturing initiated what was to be the largest crib recall in the history of the United States in 2009 because of the tendency for the drop sides on these cribs to fail in years prior. Specifically, these drop sides had shown a troubling tendency to either fall off altogether or to come loose and be pushed out from the inside because of the pressure applied by the sleeping infant when he or she rolls over onto the side of the rail.
According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the models affected by the Stork Craft Manufacturing drop-side crib recall include:
Stork Craft cribs with manufacturing and distribution dates between January 1993 and October 2009. This recall also includes Stork Craft cribs with the Fisher-Price logo that have manufacturing dates between October 1997 and December 2004. The Stork Craft cribs with the Fisher-Price logo were first sold in the U.S. in July 1998 and in Canada in September 1998. The cribs were sold in various styles and finishes. The manufacture date, model number, crib name, country of origin, and the firm’s name, address, and contact information are located on the assembly instruction sheet attached to the mattress support board. The firm’s insignia Stork Craft baby or Storkling is inscribed on the drop side teething rail of some cribs. In Stork Craft cribs that contain the Fisher-Price logo, this logo can be found on the crib’s teething rail, in the manufacturer’s instructions, on the assembly instruction sheet attached to the mattress support board, and on the end panels of the Twinkle-Twinkle and Crystal crib models.
This initial recall of drop-side cribs fueled other manufacturers to investigate the safety of their cribs. With help from the CPSC, defects and design issues were identified and affected products were recalled. That drop-side crib recall included over 2 millions cribs. The affected cribs were manufactured by these companies:
- 750,000 Jenny Lind drop-side cribs distributed by Evenflo Inc
- 747,000 Delta drop-side cribs that also have a wooden stabilizer bar issue that may cause the mattress platform to collapse
- 306,000 Bonavita, Babi Italia, and ISSI cribs manufactured by LaJobbi Inc.
- 130,000 Jardine drop-side cribs imported by Toys R Us
- 156,000 Million Dollar Baby cribs
- 50,000 Simmons drop-side cribs
- 40,000 to 50,000 Child Craft brand stationary-side cribs
Baby Crib Recall The Damage of Drop-Side Crib Failure
With the addition of that drop-side crib recall, millions of cribs have been recalled in the past several years. The overriding reason that that particular enormous recall was initiated was due to reports of statistics that are nothing less than daunting. Drop-side cribs were blamed for the deaths of 32 infants and toddlers from 2000 until the recall, with many more child deaths suspected to be linked to the drop-side crib problem. The children suffocated when they rolled over onto the side of the mattress and pushed out the drop side of the crib, creating a space large enough to fall into but too small to maneuver. As a result, these infants died of suffocation.
In addition to deaths, officials received at least 110 reports of infants who were seriously injured either because of the space created when rolling into the drop side or because the drop side fell off completely, leading to the obvious danger of the child falling out of the crib and sustaining serious injuries.
Crib Recall Lawyers Crib Recall Attorney
The CPSC has strongly recommended that anyone using these drop-side cribs stop doing so immediately. The manufacturers have offered to ship affected consumers a repair kit that will convert the drop-side into a permanent side.
However, that doesn’t help those who have been affected already by this defective product. If this includes you, contact the Arizona drop-side crib recall lawyers at Phillips Law Group immediately to schedule a free initial consultation.
Drop-side cribs have become a popular item for purchase by consumers of North America, as they offer convenience and the potential for the minimization of danger to both the parent and the child by removing the awkward posturing that was required with traditional cribs in order to place the child in or remove the infant from the crib. Unfortunately, after recent drop-side crib recalls, many people may need the help of drop-side crib recall lawyers for legal advice on the products.
A recall of these items in 2010 was one of the largest crib recalls ever in the United States. Overall, more than 2 million units were recalled in that instance, according to WCNC.
Drop-Side Crib Problems
In the 2010 drop-side recall, some of the cribs had a tendency for the side that drops to completely detach from the crib’s frame, either because of pressure exerted from the inside by the infant as he or she rolled into the side or because of the application of pressure from the parent who leaned into the side from the outside.
When this side detached, it created an instantly dangerous situation whereby either the child could fall out of the crib or the parent can fall into the crib with the child in hand.
Another manufacturing defect occurred in which the sleeping infant would roll into the collapsing side of the crib and exert pressure on it which led to the formation of a space between the side of the mattress and the crib’s dropping side. This space was large enough for the infant to fall into it and become trapped, leading to an immediate danger of suffocation.
Sadly, the Consumer Product Safety Commission received numerous reports of infant deaths due to suffocation. “CPSC staff has completed a comprehensive review of crib-related infant fatalities reported to the agency between January 2000 and the present,” the agency reported.
“CPSC staff is aware of 32 infant and toddler suffocation and strangulation deaths and hundreds of incidents that were caused by or related to drop-side detachments in cribs made by various manufacturers.”
In one recall instance at the time, the CPSC, in cooperation with Stork Craft Manufacturing Inc., of British Columbia, Canada, announced a voluntary recall of more than 2.1 million Stork Craft drop-side cribs, including about 147,000 Stork Craft drop-side cribs with the Fisher-Price logo.
Get Assistance from Drop-Side Crib Recall Lawyers
If you or someone you love has been harmed by this defective product, you should contact a Phoenix personal injury attorney at Phillips Law Group immediately to schedule a free initial consultation.
Our team can offer a free consultation to determine your legal options. Contact us today to learn more.
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