October 15, 2014 — The family of a 3 year-old girl who needed surgery after swallowing 37 small magnet toys has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the product, known as “Buckyballs,” according to Courthouse News.
The lawsuit was filed by Aaron and Kelli Bushnell, parents of “P.B.,” on October 8 in the Superior Court of Clark County, Washington.
They accuse the manufacturer of Buckyballs of selling a defective and dangerous product that poses a “substantial product hazard.” They also accuse the manufacturer of dissolving the company to avoid paying for children who were injured.
“Buckyballs” are a desk toy that contains hundreds of small, powerful rare earth magnets. They are extremely dangerous for children because they can stick together inside the body. If part of the intestines or stomach is trapped between the magnets, it can cut off circulation and cause a life-threatening intestinal perforation.
P.B. allegedly ate the magnets because they looked like “shiny candy.” According to the complaint:
“Once inside P.B.’s digestive tract, the rare earth magnets snapped P.B.’s intestines together, caused blockage, and punched holes in her stomach and intestine.”
The Bushnells took P.B. to a pediatrician after she started vomiting. After doctors discovered the magnets in her intestines, they ordered emergency surgery.
P.B. is not the only child who has been injured by small magnet toys. The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has received at least 1,700 reports of children who ingested magnet toys and suffered severe consequences.
The CEO of Buckyballs, Craig Zucker, fought the CPSC for years to keep the products on the market. After the CPSC personally sued Zucker, he agreed to a settlement that included a voluntary recall and payments for the cost of recalling every product.
Do I have a Magnet Toy Injury 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, 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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