Injuries Caused by Defective Cribs

By Rasansky McKenzie

Was your child seriously injured due to a defective crib or unsafe mattress? Call Rasansky | McKenzie Law at (214) 651-6100.

When cribs are poorly designed or manufactured, they can cause infants to become entrapped, leading to serious injuries or even wrongful death. New federal crib safety standards have forced many changes, but this hasn’t eliminated the problem—not yet anyway.

Defective and Unsafe Cribs

Data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows that tens of thousands of children suffer serious injuries in crib-related accidents on a yearly basis. Even though millions of dangerous baby cribs have been recalled in the past few years alone, there are also millions of dangerous cribs being used this very second.

If your infant child has been seriously injured or killed by a defective or otherwise unsafe crib, your family may have a valid product liability claim against the manufacturer. Product liability law allows parents to seek monetary compensation from the manufacturer in the event that a defectively-designed, defectively-manufactured, or ineffectively-marketed consumer product caused an unforeseeable injury.

These cases can be incredibly complex, so it’s always recommended that you speak with a product liability lawyer in your area for a free consultation. Your ability to sue for damages may depend on several factors, but the Dallas attorneys at Rasansky | McKenzie Law are happy to discuss your case (and your options) over the phone or by email. If we feel that we can help with your case, you can hire us with a signature. You will never pay us anything out of pocket to pursue your claim, and we only get paid if we actually win your case or secure a fair settlement.

Causes of crib injuries.

Even though there have been over nine million drop side cribs recalled (and government regulations have banned any further manufacture of cribs with drop sides due to safety concerns and infant fatalities), there are several other common causes of crib injuries, including:

• Hardware breakage
• Slats that come loose and cause choking
• Sharp hardware or other items that have the potential to cut an infant
• Gaps between the mattress and side of crib which can lead to entrapment
• Other crib defects that could lead to injury or death

When cribs are improperly designed or manufactured, it can lead to serious injury or death to innocent children. For this reason, parents should be certain to research cribs before they make a purchase in order to make sure it meets the following guidelines:

• Slats should be no farther apart than 2-3/8”
• Slats should not be loose nor should any be missing
• The corner posts should be no higher than 1/16” above the post of the crib
• There should be no oddly-shaped or sharp items that could possibly cut the child

There are certain standards to which crib manufacturers must adhere, under federal law, regarding the distance between the slats and the coating of the surfaces with lead-based paint. Even if the crib meets federal standards, though, they can still be held liable for injuries their product causes.

Assumption of legal liability for crib injuries or deaths.

In most cases, product liability law places blame on the manufacturers and others involved in the design, production, and distribution of defective products for injuries and deaths that result from defects in their products. Product liability cases are also strict-liability claims. This means the plaintiff can bring a lawsuit without the need to prove negligence on the part of the defendant(s). According to the law, if there’s a defect in the product and that defect causes harm, then the defendant is liable for the resulting damages.

Our firm has a great deal of experience handling cases involving injury to a child, and are available 24 hours a day at (214) 651-6100. The consultation is free, and we never charge a penny unless we win your case.

About the Author

Anyone can hire a lawyer, but if you want to give yourself the best possible chance at success, call the experienced attorneys at Rasansky McKenzie. You only get one chance to bring your case before a court. Let them put their expertise to work for you.