A toy is anything that can be used to encourage learning or play activity. A charge of liability can be placed on someone that has been careless and neglectful. So how could the act of toy-making get transformed into a careless and neglectful action? How could someone that has agreed to put time and effort into creating toys get careless and neglectful?
How could a toy be harmful?
The act of creating a safe toy would not be an example of negligence. If, however, the created toy managed to harm a child, it would seem obvious that someone had been negligent. Hence, the reason for asking the question in bold print: How could a toy be harmful?
A toy becomes harmful when one of its features allows it to harm the person that uses it. For example, it could be that a small part manages to fall off a play object, and get grabbed by a playful child. If the grab was make by someone that is less than 3 years of age, that tiny object might get popped into a young person’s mouth. That could cause the child to choke on the swallowed object.
If a toy had been packed in a plastic bag, and the empty bag remained in the child’s play area, it might get placed over the child’s head. In that instance, it could cause the youngster to suffocate. Alternatively, a toy’s long string might get wrapped around a child’s neck. If the frightened youngster kept pulling on that string, it could strangle him or her.
Some toys have pointy corners or rough edges. Those have the ability to puncture or cut the skin. In that case the playful object would become a tool for creating a puncture wound or a laceration. Some manufacturers use lead paint on toys. If a child licks that same paint, the lead will get into the child’s bloodstream. That lead is poisonous. Finally, a toy with a battery can inflict harm on the person that uses it. It might have a loose wire. Anyone that touches the same wire could get a shock.
How could someone get careless and neglectful while creating a toy?
Such negligence could get introduced into the toy-making process at one of three different locations. It could be during the design stage, the manufacturing stage or the packaging and marketing stage. That third stage includes those efforts that seek to place adequate instructions on the toy’s package. It is also the stage at which any warnings must be prepared and then placed on the packaged item.
If the instructions or warnings got made in a hasty fashion, one or both of them could be incomplete. A parent reading such incomplete material could allow a son or daughter to attempt a harmful act. If the same act harmed the playful youngster, then the toy’s manufacturer could be charged with product liability. You will need to consult an injury lawyer in Lindsey to file a claim.