CPSC Under Fire for Settling with Stroller Manufacturer Instead of Forcing Recall

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is under fire for the manner in which it handled a lawsuit against Britax Child Safety, a UK-based company that manufactures strollers, high chairs and car seats. According to the Washington Post, from 2012, the CPSC received 200 reports of spontaneous failure of the stroller wheels in Britax’s BOB jogging strollers.

Over 100 adults and children reportedly suffered injuries from these accidents including broken bones, facial lacerations, and ruined teeth. But, the Post reported that President Donald Trump’s appointees on the CPSC voted to give the manufacturer a settlement instead of forcing a recall of these dangerous and defective products, that were hurting young children.

No Recall of Defective Strollers

The CPSC is an independent government agency, which is responsible for developing product safety standards. Presidents typically appoint partisan commissioners who serve seven-year terms. The president also selects the five-person commission’s chairperson. The agency launched an investigation into Britax’s BOB single- and double-occupant jogging strollers as consumers filed 200 reports of the strollers’ wheels failing between 2012 and 2018.

There were reports of more than 100 injuries of both adults and children, including gruesome ones such as broken bones, torn-up faces and shattered teeth. The commission brought a lawsuit against Britax to force a recall of the strollers. However, in November of 2018, the CPSC reached a settlement agreeing to post a video about strollers as part of an “information campaign” instead of recalling the faulty strollers that were injuring children.

Agency Should Put Consumers First

This report is deeply disturbing. The CPSC is not and shouldn’t be about Republicans or Democrats. The agency’s job is to ensure consumer safety. And a big part of that duty is to ensure that manufacturers take dangerous and defective products off the market. As product defect attorneys who work to uphold the rights of injured consumers, we urge the CPSC to hold manufacturers accountable instead of giving them an easy way out and putting consumers in danger.

If you or a loved one has been injured by these dangerous strollers or other products, please remember that you have legal rights even if the manufacturer has not faced consequences or has issued a recall. You may be able to file a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer seeking compensation for your injuries, damages and losses. An experienced product defect lawyer can help you better understand your legal rights and options.

Source: https://www.thisisinsider.com/trump-cpsc-jogging-stroller-suit-report-2019-4