Mattel Toy
Recall InformationUpdated September 5, 2007 - Mattel has
issued a third recall for over 750,000 toys due to violations of federal lead paint standards. This third recall by the world's largest toymaker covers primarily
Barbie accessories as well as some toy locomotives in the
Fisher Price line. In addition, Mattel has added some 8,900 "Bongo band" toys to their
recall list. This spate of toy recalls in a month's time demonstrates a refreshing example of corporate openness by Mattel.
Mattel had previously issued a
recall
for over 9 million preschool toys because of choking hazards from small magnets becoming dislodged from the toys
and potential injuries from lead paint.
Mattel
issued these voluntary recalls, primarily of playsets with small magnets, in
conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission when adverse event
reports revealed that there was a high likelihood of magnets getting swallowed
and lodged in the intestinal tract of young children.
Children who swallow multiple magnets have suffered perforated bowels
and bowel obstruction, because the powerful magnets are attracted to one
another inside the stomach. This type of
incident was first reported in 2006 with Mattel’s
‘Polly Pocket”magnetic playsets, of which several million more were pulled from shelves in
the company’s latest recall.
Mattel announced
in addition in their second recall that the paint on its die-cast metal model car from the Pixar movie
“Cars” appeared to have been painted with a lead-based paint, and was also ripe
for recall.
The company recalled approximately
436,000 cars that had been painted with a lead-based paint. Mattel
initially recalled about 1.5 million Fisher-Price toys that had been made in
China because of lead paint. The Chinesefactory manager of the subcontractor responsible for supplying those toys to
Mattel subsequently hanged himself in shame for the transgression. If your
child has swallowed a magnet and suffered an injury from a Mattel magnetic
playset, you should see a doctor about this immediately, as it is a very serious
condition.
You also may need to
consult with an attorney to find out
what your legal rights are. InjuryBoard attorneys are handling
Mattel toy injury cases now and will review yours free of charge. Please fill out the form on your right hand side to speak with an InjuryBoard attorney today.
-written by Courtney Mills
See Also
- Dangerous Toys: Overview