Safety of Chinese-Made Toys Sparks Second Wave of Recalls by Mattel
Sellers of faulty products have reputation, liability on the line, Attorney Mark Lanier says.
For the second time this month, U.S. toymaker Mattel is announcing a major product recall because of concerns about the safety of toys produced by shoddy Chinese manufacturing practices.
The Mattel announcement is only the latest example of the risks and potential liabilities that U.S. companies face by tapping cheap Chinese manufacturers, said attorney Mark Lanier, who has become a leading critical voice in the growing nationwide debate over tainted, faulty and dangerous Chinese imports.
"These cheap products from China are attractive for companies concerned only with the bottom line, but corporations need to realize that their reputations are at stake and they are ultimately responsible for the safety of the goods they sell" Mr. Lanier said.
Mattel is only the latest major U.S. company to announce safety recalls or investigations related to defective products made in China. Other recalls this year have included tainted Chinese food products, toothpaste, pet food and automobile tires.
Mr. Lanier represented the family of a 6-year-old girl who choked to death on a toy from a fast food restaurant children's meal. In that case, the Chinese manufacturer of the defective toy was insulated from U.S. courts and could not be sued, but the restaurant and importer of the product were ultimately held liable and reached a settlement with the family.
Mattel's latest recall involves a total of 436,000 Chinese-made toys, which are die-cast vehicles featuring the "Sarge" character from the movie "Cars." The concern is that the toys were made with unsafe lead-based paint. Earlier this month, Mattel announced the recall of more than 1 million toys made by its Fisher-Price division because of concerns about lead-paint contamination. The products in that earlier recall included Sesame Street and Dora the Explorer products.
If you feel that you have been harmed by a defective or poorly designed Chinese-made product or would like more information, please contact The Lanier Law Firm at 713-659-5200.
