Stroller Injuries Can Impact Brain Development
If you have or have had young children, you probably have also owned a stroller or a child carrier to move them around. While these do make transporting a young child easier, strollers and child carriers are some of the most frequently-recalled child-care items on the market due to design flaws that allow children to fall from the device or it to tip over easily.
A new study by Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio has discovered that more than 17,000 children every year are injured and treated at emergency rooms because of stroller or carrier-related injuries. However, that number is somewhat misleading because it does not include children who are treated in medical facilities other than emergency rooms or treated at home.
The truly concerning statistic from this study was the number of concussions that usually occur from these carrier and stroller injuries. According to data from the year 2010, 42% of all emergency-room treated injuries from strollers were concussions, as well as 53% of carrier related injuries. This is a huge issue for parents, as a concussion for a child at a young age can have a humongous effect on a child’s cognitive development.
While it’s true that strollers are frequently recalled due to tip or children’s fall hazards, in many instances these injuries are caused by simple usage mistakes by parents. Whenever placing your young child into a stroller or carrier, it is imperative that you immediately strap them in with the equipped safety restraint before moving anywhere. This can prevent the child from climbing out and potentially falling. Additionally, never hang heavy bags from a stroller handle, as these can unbalance the weight in the vehicle and dramatically increase the tipping risk. Parents should also never let another child push the stroller or hang from its handle.
Stroller Recalls
Stroller recalls happen relatively frequently; just this past July Pacific Cycle (makers of the Instep and Schwinn brands) were forced to recall over 200,000 units due to the front wheel potentially falling off, causing a crash and possibly injuries. It is important as a parent to stay informed in regards to the latest recalls, and immediately cease using anything that may present an elevated risk of injury to their children.
When your child is injured by a defective product, such as a stroller or child carrier, it is important that you seek out legal representation to begin pursuing your legal options as soon as possible. The skilled Altoona personal injury attorneys at Goldstein, Heslop, Steele, Clapper, Oswalt & Smith work diligently to protect the best interests of central Pennsylvania residents since our firm was established over 100 years ago. Each member of our team brings a substantial amount of experience and proven record of success to our firm, contributing to making us one of the preeminent choices for personal injury representation in the area.
Contact Goldstein, Heslop, Steele, Clapper, Oswalt & Smith today to schedule a consultation after you or your child are injured.