Defective Strollers: Is Yours on the Recall List?

A good stroller can make it infinitely easier to tote your little one around. Sadly, however, when these products are defective, even a short ride can leave infants and toddlers with lasting injuries. 

Each year, defective products have life-changing effects on consumers of all ages. As a parent, finding out whether your baby's stroller has been recalled is always a top priority. 

Things That Can Go Wrong When a Stroller Is Defective

There are countless considerations that parents make when choosing products for their children. This is especially true when shopping for newborns, infants, and toddlers, and when buying items that are used for transportation. 

Strollers are designed to help parents take their kids for long walks, jogs, and even runs. Many options even have lower, side, or front baskets for carting toys, bottles, blankets, and other essential items. When one or more of a stroller's components fail, both babies and anyone pushing a stroller can be harmed. Some of the problems that can occur with a defective stroller include:

• One or more front wheels detach so that the stroller comes to an abrupt stop
• Seat harnesses or seat supports detach or fail
• Unexpected folding and closure of the entire stroller system
• Parking brake failures that lead to rolling

When parents put their babies in strollers, they are rarely expecting things to go awry. Moreover, when the structural integrity of a stroller fails, there are few things that adults can do to mitigate damages.

How Babies Can Be Harmed by Defective Strollers

There's a very broad range of injuries that babies can sustain when their strollers fail. The severity of the damages incurred are largely determined by the speed at which a stroller is moving at the time of failure, the age and weight of the child, and the type of malfunction that occurs. 

When harnesses and other supports do not perform as they should or when front tires pop off, children can fall out and may be run over by their own still-moving strollers. This can be especially problematic when parents are using jogging strollers and traveling at relatively fast speeds.

Among some of the injuries that infants and toddlers have sustained due to defective strollers are:

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Disfiguring facial injuries
• Concussions
• Strangulation
• Lacerations

In some instances, defective stroller designs can even lead to infant or toddler death.

What To Do if Your Child Has Been Injured by a Defective Stroller

There are a number of things that parents must do to protect their little ones from stroller injuries. To start, it is always important to read through the owner's manual before assembling and using one of these products. This will detail the correct way to put the entire system together, and the best way to use all available safety harnesses. If a child sustains a stroller injury due to improper use or failure to secure safety harnesses, product manufacturers cannot be held liable for the resulting damages. This same is also true if you take your baby jogging in a stroller that's only built for walking, or if you choose to leave your napping child in a stroller unattended.

However, if your child is injured because their stroller was improperly designed, you have the right to seek compensation. Settlements from defective product lawsuits can be used to cover the costs of essential medical treatment and therapies, even as they provide additional compensation for pain and suffering. 

How To Get Notifications of Stroller Recalls

The best way to remain abreast of product recall information is by completing the product registration card that came with your new stroller. You'll find registration cards attached to any strollers, car seats, infant swings, and other baby products that you buy. Simply fill out your name and contact information, and then mail this card directly to the product manufacturer. Once you do, you'll be put on a mailing list and will receive all recall-related information for the stroller model that you've purchased.

Strollers are designed to make life easier for parents. They should not cause life-altering or life-threatening injuries. By taking the proper precautions when purchasing these and other baby products, you can be alerted of stroller recalls before a defective design results in harm. Strollers are one of the most common defective products that lead to legal  action from injury (source: https://www.boginmunns.com/areas-we-serve/orlando-fl/product-liability-lawyer/).To find out more about filing a defective product lawsuit, you can contact your lawyer.