Fisher Price has recalled 4.7 million Rock n’ Play Sleepers and warned consumers against using it. The massive recall comes after 32 infants tragically lost their life since 2011.
The decision was made one week after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission released a joint statement with Fisher Price about using the product. Their warning suggested parents to discontinue its use once the baby turned three months old or began to roll over. The American Academy of Pediatrics and Consumer Reports, along with grieving parents, were not satisfied with the warning, particularly because a majority of infants were well under three months of age and unable to roll over.
Sadly, the recall came too late for at least 32 families. If your child lost their life while using the Rock’n’ Play Sleeper, our firm would like to discuss your case the Fisher-Price Rock’n’ Play Sleeper defective product lawsuits.
What You Should Know About the Fisher-Price Rock’n Play Sleeper Defective Product Lawsuits
At this time, investigations are underway to determine how, why, and what led to the death of 32 infants. Most of the cases involve the infant rolling over while unrestrained, but other circumstances may apply. Mattel, the parent company of Fisher Price, and Fisher Price has not admitted any fault. Rather, they have warned against using the product and have said they believe the deaths to be attributed to health conditions on part of the infant, or that the product was being used against the recommendations stated in the manual.
Medical Experts Say the Fisher-Price Rock ‘N Play Is Not Safe for All Night Sleep
On the box of the Rock n’ Play Sleeper, it clearly says the product is safe for “all night sleep”. The Fisher Price website also states that the inclined sleep helps babies to all night long. However, these statements are against the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations in that a baby should sleep on their backs, on a flat surface, and away from cushions or blankets.
It is thought that the Fisher Price Rock’n’ Play Sleeper is unsafe due to it’s design. Because the sleeper is positioned at an incline, the baby could shift and become trapped; thereby suffocate on the cloth that lines the product. Although the risk increases with the child’s age and ability to roll, younger infants are still at risk. Some of the deaths have involved children who were unable to rollover, but still suffocated.
If your child has been harmed after being placed in a Pennsylvania Fisher Price Rock n Play or similar infant resting place, please don’t hesitate to connect with the experienced Fisher Price Rock n Play law firm of McEldrew Purtell. It can be tempting to blame yourself after your child suffers harm. Parents are usually hard-wired to be so protective of their children that if anything happens to them, they instinctively question what they did to cause the child’s harm.
However, there is a great deal of evidence that strongly indicates that these sleeping devices are inherently unsafe. If your child has been harmed while sleeping, resting or playing in one of these devices, please don’t blame yourself. You purchased a baby item in good faith, believing it was safe for your child to rest there. Now it’s time to explore your legal options to determine whether you’d like to pursue legal action against the manufacturer that produced an unsafe product. Please speak with our Pennsylvania Fisher Price Rock n Play law firm today about your options. We look forward to speaking with you so that you can make an informed decision concerning how you’d like to move forward.
Proof of Negligence
One of the criteria that must be met to prove the validity of a defective product lawsuit is that the manufacturer was aware that its product was potentially harmful but did nothing to address the issue or stop selling it to the public. A product manufacturer has a legal and ethical responsibility to ensure that the products they sell do not cause harm to the consumer when used in the way intended by the manufacturer. Additionally, should the manufacturer become aware that their product is dangerous or harmful, they must address the problem or else take it off the market.
In fact, Fisher-Price is aware of the dangers associated with their Rock n’ Play Sleeper. Consumer Reports looked into deaths of infants associated with using the sleeper and they identified 32 fatalities caused by the Fisher-Price Rock n’ Play Sleeper, though not all parents have yet filed lawsuits against the company. In addition, the American Academy of Pediatrics has publicly demanded that Fisher-Price recall the product due to its connect to the infants’ deaths. To date, Fisher-Price has denied responsibility for those deaths and refuses to recall the Rock n’ Play Sleeper, despite the active lawsuits against them.
Litigation Against Fisher-Price
If your family lost a child and you suspect that their death was caused by the Rock n’ Play Sleeper, contact McEldrew Purtell to learn if you are eligible to file one or more lawsuits against Fisher-Price. Parents who have suffered a terrible loss in this way have the right to demand justice. Successful lawsuits against Fisher-Price may help to force them to remove the Rock n’ Play Sleeper from the market, thus saving additional children’s lives. If the company is forced to pay substantial settlements to the parents who lost their child, it may cause them to finally take responsibility for their alleged negligence.
Warnings to Parents
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning parents that a number of infant deaths have occurred in conjunction with their use of the Rock n’ Play Sleeper. They are recommending that if an infant is old enough to rollover on its own (which is usually by three months of age), the child is in danger of asphyxiation if restraints are not used to prevent the child from rolling.
A Law Firm with Years of Experience in Handling Defective Product Cases
Whenever a child has lost their life, we will be ready to fight tooth and nail for the family. In terms of the Fisher-Price Rock’n’ Play Sleeper defective product lawsuits, we know that cases like these will require the best lawyers with ample resources. At McEldrew Purtell, we have the experience, skill, tenacity, and resources to build a case against Fisher Price.
We are currently investigating the Fisher Price Rock’n’ Play Sleeper cases and are ready to represent any parent who lost their child to this defective product. To learn more about the Fisher-Price Rock’n’ Play Sleeper defective product lawsuits, call McEldrew Purtell.