September 19, 2014 — Tiny, high-powered magnet toys were responsible for one child’s death last year and over 7,700 emergency room visits, according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC).
The safety agency has proposed a final rule (PDF) that would ban magnet toys that are small enough to be swallowed by a child.
The products will only be allowed on the market if they are too large to pass through a cylinder that is used to test choking hazards.
According to USA Today, the child who died was a 19 month-old girl who swallowed seven tiny magnet balls that her brothers brought home from school.
The girl’s parents noticed unusual symptoms and took her to the hospital. Doctors told her parents it was probably a virus and sent her home. The next day, she was found unresponsive and died at the same hospital that discharged her the previous day. An autopsy revealed the tiny magnets attached to each other inside her intestines, which cut off circulation to part of her bowel.
The CPSC has been trying to take tiny, high-powered magnet toys off the market since 2012. They have faced resistance from the manufacturer of the most popular magnet toy, Buckyballs, who says the products are only intended for adults and carry sufficient warning labels. In 2014, the manufacturer finally recalled Buckyballs and created a new company that sells magnet toys in compliance with CPSC regulations.
Do I have a Magnet Toy Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting magnet toy induced injury cases in all 50 states. If your child or somebody you know has been injured by Buckyballs, Magnacubes, or a similar product, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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