The US Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada have announced that the manufacturer of a stroller has voluntarily recalled the device due to an amputation hazard. According to a press release, the Kolcraft Enterprises, Inc. Contours Options strollers, in both the three- and four-wheeled configurations, poses a risk of amputating the fingers of children and adults. In fact, there have already been incidents reported where both have happened.
Incidents
According to the press release, there have been five injuries involving the defective part. The defective part is a hinge mechanism located on the handle of the stroller, near the basket area. This hinge can fold up, cutting or even amputating fingers. There have been three children who have had their fingers amputated and two adults who suffered lacerations and smash injuries due to the hinge.
If you’re concerned that you have one of the strollers, look for the following model numbers, which will appear on a sticker above the left wheel:
- ZL002
- ZL005
- ZL008
- ZL015
- ZL018
These products were retailed by Amazon.com, Target.com, ToysRUs.com and at toy stores in the United States and Canada. They sold for between $150 and $160 and were on the market starting in January of 2006, with the recall being effective June 14, 2012, according to the press release.
Defective Products and Responsibility
It is illegal to sell or trade any defective product. They have to be returned, replaced or refunded in accordance with the product recall. If you have one of these strollers, you can contact Kolcraft at 1-800-453-7673. They will explain what to do with the device. You should stop using the stroller immediately and, upon contacting the company, you will be provided with a repair kit that can be used to fix the hazard.
Defective Designs, Manufacture and Advertising
Defective product lawsuits hinge on whether or not the product was defective in its design, in its manufacture or in its advertising. In this case, the product could be found to have been defective in its design or its manufacturing, due to the presence of the hinge that was capable of causing such grievous injuries. If you or your child were injured by this product, you should contact an attorney right away. One of the options you have as a consumer is suing a company that sold you a product that proved to be dangerous.
Filing a defective product lawsuit is generally a time-limited option. The most important thing to do is to contact an attorney as soon as possible and to let them know what happened. If they believe that you do have a good case, they may be willing to take it and argue it for you in court. These cases sometimes end up paying out into the millions of dollars, which is entirely fair, when you consider the life-changing injuries that some people end up suffering because of defective products. In this case, it’s already been reported that at least three children had their fingertips amputated because of the particular defect.