http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/Defective_Baby_Car_Seats Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:25:56 -0800 pixel-app en http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/14044 Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/14044 Evenflo Discovery Car Seat recall was issued despite the absence of a federal standard that specifies how well child safety seats must protect children in a side impact crash.  Potentially catastrophic problems with the Evenflo Discovery Car Seat were discovered only because federal regulators had been working on developing side-impact regulations and had conducted some child seat tests as part of that research.

In early February, Evenflo recalled 1 million of the company’s popular Discovery Infant Car Seats after tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that the Discovery Infant Seat could potentially become separated from its base in high impact side collisions.  Seats affected by the Evenflo Discovery Infant Car Seat recall include models 390, 391, 534 and 552 made between April 2005 and January 29, 2008. The serial number and date of manufacture can be found on a white label on the underside of the safety seat.

The Evenflo Discovery Seat Recall was unusual because the NHTSA has yet to adopt standards for car seats in side impact crashes.  According to The New York Times, the agency said the problem with the Evenflo Discovery was so serious that, even in the absence of standards, the NHTSA felt a recall was necessary.  The agency discovered the problem with the Evenflo seats last year as part of its research into creating a side-impact regulation. The agency was already conducting side-impact crashes in its regular testing of new cars, but decided to include rear-facing child seats in those tests to gather information on how they would perform in different vehicles.

According to The New York Times, the NHTSA only began researching a side-impact standard for child seats in 2000 when Congress ordered the agency to research ways to make the seats safer. But in 2004 the agency told Congress that a side-impact standard was impractical because, among other things, there was no good test method. Then, early last year, the NHTSA began working on side-impact standards more actively after the Takata Corporation of Tokyo, which makes occupant restraints like air bags, told the agency that the company had developed a test for child restraints in side-impact crashes. It was while evaluating the Takata system that the NHTSA discovered the problems with the Evenflo Discovery.

According to The New York Times, the defects with the Evenflo where "catastrophic".  During the tests, in which a ram struck the vehicle’s side at 38.5 miles an hour, the portion of the seat in which an infant would be strapped broke free of the base that anchored it to the car and was thrown around the interior.  “Even in a severe crash we shouldn’t be seeing that kind of structural separation, and we didn’t see it in other seats,” Ron Medford, senior associate administrator for the NHTSA told the Times.

Yet, despite the fact that it agreed to recall the Evenflo Discovery and even quit making it, the company maintains the seats are safe.  Evenflo is basing that assertion, in part, on the fact that the seat met all federal standards in place at the time.  And Evenflo is not offering refunds for the defective Discovery seats.  Rather, the company will supply users with a "dual hook" fastener that will prevent the Discovery from separating from its base in the case of a side impact crash.  The NHTSA told The New York Times that the fastener had been tested and does work.

What the Evenflo Discovery recall does illustrate is the need for the NHTSA to adopt side impact crash standards for all child safety seats as soon as possible.  Medford told the Times that the Takata system “holds more promise than anything we have seen yet.” He said a final decision on whether to pursue a side-impact standard should be made by the end of the year.

]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13976 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13976 recall of three of its child safety car seats.  The Combi USA car seat recall involves the company's Centre, Centre ARB, Shuttle, and associated Travel Systems.  The child safety seat products failed to perform in collision tests.  Combi USA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and Transport Canada discovered during vehicle crash tests that the car seats could potentially become disengaged from their bases in motor vehicle frontal crashes.

Combi manufactures a variety of child products and child safety products, including child safety car seats.  Combi has received no reports of injuries, to date, regarding the Centre, Centre ARB, and Shuttle child safety seats.  Approximately 67,000 child safety seats are involved in the recall.

This recall involves Combi USA Inc. Centre, Centre ARB, and Shuttle (Model Numbers. 8065, 8074, 8086, 8087 and 8520) and associated Travel Systems containing Centre and Shuttle (Model Numbers. 4400, 4515, 4520), which are infant car seats with harness-height-adjustment systems and adjustable handles.

The recalled car seats were sold through Amazon.com and at baby-goods stores.  Combi is urging customers to contact them for a free retrofit kit.  For more information, visit www.combi-intl.com, or call Combi Consumer Relations Department at (800) 543-7734.

]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13827 Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13827 car seat ratings were introduced this week by the US Department of Transportation.  The Department said the new car seat rating system, which will take into account an infant or child safety seat’s ease of use, would help parents and caregivers make the best choice when buying car seats for their kids.

The government recommends car seats for children up to 40 pounds and booster seats for children over 40 pounds until they are 8 years old or 4 feet 9 inches tall. All children should ride in the back seat until age 13.  

According to the Associated Press, the new car seat rankings will use a five-star rating system.  Ratings are based on the seats' ability to secure a child and the ease with which the seats are installed. It also considers seats' labeling and instruction manuals.

Child car seats are often difficult to install, a situation that causes many parents to place the seats in their vehicles incorrectly.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said seven in 10 child safety seats are either the wrong size or misused.  Improperly installed car seats can leave children at a serious risk of injury or death in the event of a crash.  When installed properly, the NHTSA estimates that child restraint systems reduce fatal injuries by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers in passenger cars and by nearly 60 percent for infants and toddlers in sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks and vans.

The new system, which assigns an overall rating of up to five stars, replaces an older ratings program which used letter grades. The five-star rating system is also used in NHTSA's consumer crash test program for new cars and trucks. Critics of the old child car seat rating system said the old tests for car seats were far too easy.  Under the old letter grades, nearly every car seat tested received an “A” grade.

According to the Associated Press, the new ratings system does not assess how effective a seat is in protecting a child in a crash. All child seats must comply with federal safety standards to protect children in a car accident.

Parents or caregivers looking to purchase a car seat for their infant or child can visit the NHTSA’s website to check on a seat’s ease of use ratings.  The site rates rear facing infant seats, toddler forward facing seats, convertible seats and child booster seat.   The site also provides a link to help parents locate child safety seat inspection centers.  Those unsure as to whether or not a car seat is properly installed can visit an inspection center and have it checked by a certified child safety expert.

]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13810 Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13810 Evenflo car seat recall involves 1 million of the company’s popular Discovery Infant Car Seats.

Seats affected by the Evenflo Discovery Infant Car Seat recall include models 390, 391, 534 and 552 made between April 2005 and January 29, 2008. The serial number and date of manufacture can be found on a white label on the underside of the safety seat.

The Discovery Infant Car Seats are designed with separate base that connects to the vehicle's seat, allowing the safety seat to be removed from the vehicle without removing the base.  According to Evenflo, this latest car recall was issued after laboratory tests conducted by Evenflo and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed that the Discovery Infant Seat could potentially become separated from its base in high impact side collisions.

As a precautionary measure, Evenflo is providing current owners of the recalled Discovery Infant Seat with a free supplemental dual-hook fastener that has proven that the seat remains attached to the base in the event of such collisions.  Evenflo said in a press release that it is also taking steps to develop future models of Discovery with enhanced safety performance. According to Evenflo, the new Discovery models will be available to consumers starting in the second quarter, 2008.

Consumers who wish to obtain the dual-hook fastener should call Evenflo at 1-800-356-2229 between 8 AM and 5 PM EST or visit www.evenflo.com/Discovery.  The company said that consumers who order the dual-hook fastener will incur no shipping costs, but it will take at least approximately 3 to 4 weeks.  However, despite the obvious danger made apparent by the crash tests conducted on the recalled Evenflo car seats, the company has said that consumers should continue to use their Discovery infant car seat and maintains there is no need to return it to retailers.

So far, no injuries have been reported to Evenflo regarding the Discovery Infant Seat recall.

]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13358 Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13358 defective car seats.

According to Graco, the backing of the seat pad included with the SnugRide Infant Seats may pull away from the seams, exposing the pad filling that could pose a potential choking hazard.  Despite the potential choking hazard, Graco maintains that the SnugRide seats are still effective child restraint devices.

Model numbers included in the Graco SnugRide Infant Seat recall include:  8609FOF2, 8609FOF3, 8616FOF2, 8616FOF3, 8643DDH2, 8643DDH3, 8643CDR2, 8643DH03, 8643SUP2, 8643SUP3, 8643JOS2, 8643JOS3, 8643MDW3, 8643PWC3, 8643SFJ3, 8645FMT2, 8645FMT3, 8645GLM3, 8645GLN3, 8645HEM2, 8645HEM3, 8645MYC2, 8646SML3, 8645MYC3, 8645MRG3, 8645PKR2, 8645SNY2, 8646SND2, 8645THR2, 8645THR3, 8646FIE2, 8646FIE3, 8646GRT3 and 8646RRY3.  The model number and date of manufacture can be found on the label on the back of the car seats. Graco said the recall doesn't include any SnugRide models made before August 2006, as these products have a different design, and doesn't affect SnugRide models sold as a travel system.

Graco says consumers should not return the SnugRide Infant Seats to retailers.  Rather, they should contact the company by calling 1-800-345-4109 Monday-Friday between 8 am and 5 pm EST or visit www.gracobaby.com to determine whether their car seat may be affected and to obtain instructions on how to receive a replacement cover.

In August, Graco recalled more than 276,000 ComfortSport 5-point convertible harness car seats because an anchorage belt could be misrouted during assembly of the seat.  Graco said that the misrouting of the anchor belt allows the ComfortSport to angle back more than 70 degrees in a frontal crash, increasing the risk of injury. As with the SnugRide recall, Graco also provided consumers with a repair kit for the defective ComfortSport.

]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13238 Tue, 23 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13238 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the seats did not perform up to standard during routine safety testing.  The NHTSA said that it is conducting the recall after it denied a petition by Britax that claimed that the Marathon child safety seats did not pose a safety concern.

The Britax Marathon child safety seat recall includes model numbers E9L06, E9W06 and E906.   The recall covers Marathon child safety seats manufactured from May 23, 2006 through July 28, 2006.  All of the defective Marathon child safety seats have lot number of KGR 1 A stamped on the top tether hook.  The manufacture date can be found on a label located at the child’s left hand side of the defective car seat near the head/ear area.  The fabric cover on the safety seat may need to be lifted up in order to locate this label.

According to the NHTSA, during compliance testing, the top tether hook on the Britax Marathon child safety seat failed to secure the seat back properly.  This occurred when child test dummies weighing more than 50 pounds were placed in the Marathon child safety seats.  When this was done, the top tether hook in some of the seats bent.   This could cause a serious injury to a child restrained in a Britax Marathon child safety seat during a crash.  So far, no injuries have been reported in connection with the defective Marathon child safety seats.

Parents who have a recalled Britax Marathon child safety seat should not use it for a child weighing more than 50 pounds until a replacement top tether hook is installed.  Britax will be sending all registered owners a replacement top tether hook for their recalled Marathon child safety seat.  All owners of the defective Marathon child safety seat should go online to www.MarathonRecall.com to insure that their seat is registered.   Owners who have not registered their Britax Marathon child safety seat can order a repair kit online as well.   Once the new tether hook is installed, the Marathon child safety seats should not be used after a child reaches 65 pounds, or when the child surpasses the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended weight for top tether hook use.

This is the second major Britax child safety seat recall in the last two months.  In August, Britax recalled some of its Decathlon car seats sold between February 12, 2005 and July 31, 2007.  According to that recall notice, when the harness adjuster strap on the  defective Britax Decathlon child safety seat was pulled from a side angle, the bezel could separate from the child restraint shell, allowing the adjuster to move out of position from the shell housing. That made properly restraining a child difficult, and could cause a serious injury during a crash.  Fortunately, no injuries have been reported due to the hazardous Decathlon car seats.

]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13071 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13071 Defective car seats have been recalled by Dorel Juvenile Group, the country’s largest car seat manufacturer, because a harness that is supposed to secure a child in the seat could slip.  The car seat recall encompasses 19 different faulty car seat models, including one that was implicated in a January 2005 accident that left a child paralyzed.

The Dorel car seat recall includes popular car seat brands like Eddie Bauer, Safety 1st and Cosco child restraint systems that were manufactured from November 2003 through December 2005. The model numbers affected are:  Cosco: Alpha Omega, Alpha Omega Elite: 22150, 22155, 22180, 22269; Eddie Bauer: 3-in-1, Deluxe 3-in-1, Deluxe Convertible: 22740, 22750, 22755, 22756, 22757, 22770; Safety 1st : Alpha Elite, Alpha Omega, Alpha Omega Elite, Alpha Sport, Intera, Enspira: 22151, 22450, 22451, 22452, 22453, 22455, 22460, 22480, 22481.   The model number and date of manufacture can be found on a sticker located on the back or side of the car seat. 

Dorel said that it initiated the car seat recall after some parents reported difficulty in maintaining tension in the harness strap after buckling their children into the seat.  In the event of a crash, the child might not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of serious injury. Dorel will contact registered owners of the car seats and provide them with information on obtaining a kit to repair the faulty harness strap. Those car seat owners who have not registered can order a repair kit at www.djgusa.com or by call 1-800-219-0509.

Though Dorel says that the defective car seats have caused no injuries, one of the recalled models was involved in an accident that left a 1-year-old girl a quadriplegic.  Hailey Schmidt of Missouri was in an Eddie Bauer car seat in January 2005 when the car she was riding in was involved in a head-on crash.  Hailey’s head snapped too far forward, causing severe injuries.   Dorel settled a lawsuit with the little girl’s parents, but did not admit that defects in the car seat caused her injuries.

Six weeks ago, an investigation by the Chicago Tribune found that in 2005, two models of the recalled car seats, the Eddie Bauer 3-in1 and the Cosco Alpha Omega 5- point, had failed crash tests administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).   But the NHTSA was convinced by Dorel that the seats posed no hazard after viewing the company’s own crash test results.

Dorel insists that neither the 2005 accident, nor the NHTSA test results sparked the car seat recall.  Dorel also maintains that slippage of the harness strap is rare, and that the recalled car seats may still be used as long as the strap fits a child snugly.  However, the company recommends parents quit using a recalled car seat if the harness cannot be made to fit tightly, or if it does not maintain a snug fit after the child has been buckled.  However, even if a car seat appears to be functioning properly, Dorel is still urging parents to obtain a repair kit and install it as soon as possible in order to prevent potentially serious injuries to their children.

]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13034 Thu, 23 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/13034 defective car seats today.  Graco Children’s Products Inc. is recalling more than 276,000 ComfortSport 5-point convertible harness car seats because an anchorage belt may have been misrouted during assembly of the seat.  The second manufacturer, Britax Child Safety, Inc., is  recalling some of its Decathlon child restraints because a design problem could make it difficult for caregivers to properly fasten a child into the seat.

The Graco ComfortSport car seats were sold at specialty retailers and department stores between January 2, 2007 and July 31, 2007.  The model number can be found on the back of the car seats.  The following models are involved in the recall:   8629TWL, 8630MTR, 8631DFT, 8631DRA, 8632PSO, 8635TAC, 8639COS, 8C00BLG, 8C00DMN, 8C00GRP, 8C00LNW, 8C00MID, 8C00TBM, 8C01SVD, 8C01WTN, 8C02MGI, 8C02MRC, 8C03HAL, 8C03WCF, 8C04FRR, and 8433FOF.

Graco said that the misrouting of the anchor belt allows the seat to angle back more than 70 degrees in a frontal crash, increasing the risk of injury.  Graco said that the defective car seats have not been linked to any injuries.  The car seats should not be used in the rear facing position with LATCH until the problem is fixed. The company said it will mail instructions for fixing this defect to all known purchasers of the ComfortSport car seat.  Customers who have not registered their ComfortSport car seat should call Graco at 1-800-345-4109 or visit www.gracobaby.com to find out if their seat is included in the recall.

The Britax recall covers Decathlon car seats with the model number E9L47 sold between February 12, 2005 and July 31, 2007.  When the harness adjuster strap is pulled from a side angle, the bezel may separate from the child restraint shell, allowing the adjuster to move out of position from the shell housing.   This makes properly restraining a child difficult.  Britax will be sending registered owners of the Decathlon car seat two rivet fasteners to secure the adjuster to the child restraint.  Owners of the car seat who have not registered should call Britax at 1-800-683-2045.  Repair kits can also be ordered at www.decathlonrecall.com.   Instructions for installing the repair kit can be found at www.britaxusa.com.  The company said that the repair should take about five minutes to complete.

In its recall notice, Britax said that the Decathlon seats are safe to use as long as the bezel is secured to the seat.   The company recommends that caregivers pull the adjuster strap straight out from the seat and parallel to the ground when they are securing a child.  So far, no injuries have been reported as a result of this problem.

]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/12831 Thu, 10 May 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/12831
Evenflo said that when used in the carrier mode the handle can unexpectedly release, causing the seat to rotate forward, causing the infant to fall.

450,000 Evenflo Embrace Infant car seat/carriers have been recalled due to a malfunctioning handles.
The units, manufactured in the U.S. and China, were sold nationwide through department and baby items stores from from December 2004 through September 2006, according to a release from NHTSA.

The announcement comes after Evenflo received 679 reports of handles unexpectedly releasing. The recall affects about 450,000 Evenflo Embrace Infant car seat/carriers made before April 8, 2006.

Evenflo reported 160 injuries to children including a skull fracture, two concussions, cuts, scrapes and bruises.

Evenflo is sending a notice to all registered owners of the car seats and carriers and will send a free repair kit to strengthen the handle latch, the release said.

The company instructs consumers not to use the handle until the unit has been repaired although the car seat can still be used, the company said through a release.

Consumers can contact the company through www.embracehandle.com.

The affected cars seats and carriers have model numbers beginning with 317, 320, 397, 398, 540, 548, 549, 550, 556, 597, 598 or 599.
]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/12452 Fri, 05 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/12452
However, the magazine also stressed that any car seat is better than none at all.

"If a family finds itself unable to afford a new car seat, we would recommend using the one that they have," said Heather Joy Thompson, communications counsel for Consumer Reports. "If you're in the market to purchase one, get one of the ones we recommended."

The magazine's findings will be reported in its February issue.

Consumer Reports is urging federal officials to recall one car seat -- the Evenflo Discovery -- that it said didn't meet federal safety standards.

It also is asking the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to test child car seats at higher speeds.

Rae Tyson, a NHTSA spokesman, said the federal agency saw the test results Wednesday and met with Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports.

"Our own tests don't quite agree," Tyson told The Eagle, stressing that the Evenflo Discovery met federal safety standards. "We tested it just this last year, in 2006. All the seats tested do meet federal safety standards."

Evenflo did not return a call for comment Thursday.

The magazine noted that cars and car seats can't be sold in the United States unless they can protect occupants in a 30 mph frontal crash. But most cars also are tested in crashes at higher speeds 35 mph for frontal crashes and 38 mph for side crashes.

Don Mays, senior director of product safety and consumer science for Consumer Reports, said it was "unconscionable that infant seats, which are designed to protect the most vulnerable children, aren't routinely tested the same as new cars."

Of 12 infant seats tested most designed for children under 1 and less than 22 pounds Consumer Reports recommends only two: the Baby Trend Flex-Loc and the Graco SnugRide with EPS. EPS stands for expanded polystyrene, a cushioning material.

The magazine said nine seats provided poor protection even though they met the federal safety standard.

The seats the magazine tested are rear-facing carriers that snap in and out of a base. The base then connects to the car by the vehicle's safety belts or LATCH system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, which includes belts that hook the base to metal anchors in the car).

The LATCH system was created to standardize the way child safety seats are attached to vehicles without having to use a seat belt.

Thompson said several seats performed just fine with a car's safety belt but didn't fare as well with the LATCH system.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said late last month that a study found the systems confusing to use.

"We agree with Consumers Union on one point and that is whether or not the LATCH system has answered problems we hoped it would," Tyson said Thursday.

Wichita auto dealer Dawson Grimsley, known for his commercials about safety issues, said he knows firsthand that "there are a lot of people who are confused about how to install car seats correctly, and that is so, so important."

Car seat technicians are available at all Davis-Moore dealerships to help consumers install car seats safely, Grimsley said. Consumers have to make an appointment for the service and do not need to be a Davis-Moore customer.

The LATCH system has made improvements, but "there are instances where it can be difficult to work with," Tyson said.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration plans to hold a public meeting next month to bring together automakers, car seat manufacturers and advocacy groups to talk about the system, Tyson said.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/12449 Thu, 04 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/12449
The seats came off their bases or twisted in place, the report said. In one case, a test dummy was hurled 30 feet.

Of the 12 car seats tested, Consumer Reports said it could recommend only two, and it urged a federal recall of the poorest performing seat, the Evenflo Discovery.

Evenflo issued a statement disputing the tests' validity, saying, "The magazine's test conditions and protocols appear to conflict with the collective experience of car seat manufacturers, NHTSA (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) and the scientific community."

To be sold in the United States, an infant seat must perform adequately in a 30 mph frontal crash, and Consumer Reports found that all but the Discovery did so. But it noted that NHTSA crash tests most cars at higher speeds — 35 mph for frontal crashes and 38 mph for side crashes — so the magazine tested the seats at those speeds.

"It's unconscionable that infant seats, which are designed to protect the most vulnerable children, aren't routinely tested the same as new cars," said Consumer Reports' Don Mays, a product safety director.

NHTSA Administrator Nicole Nason issued a statement saying: "We are always interested in making car seats better and safer but not more complicated and difficult for parents. We don't want consumers misled into thinking holding a child is better than putting it into a car seat."

Nine seats failed some or all of the higher-speed tests, Consumer Reports said, while meeting the federal 30 mph standard. Another seat was judged unacceptable because it did not fit well in several cars, the magazine said.

Messages seeking comment were left with the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, a trade group.

The magazine tested the type of seat that faces the rear and snaps in and out of a base. It used test dummies weighing 22 or 30 pounds, depending on the seat manufacturers' claims.

In the 35 mph test, seats separated from their bases, rotated too far or would have inflicted grave injuries, Consumer Reports said. At 38 mph, four seats flew out of their bases, it said.

The only seats that passed all the tests were the Baby Trend Flex-Loc and the Graco SnugRide with EPS expanded polystyrene foam both selling for about $90. Consumer Reports urged parents shopping for seats to buy one of those two, but it also noted that "any child car seat is better than no seat at all."

It also said some seats performed better when attached by vehicle safety belts than when attached with the LATCH system. The system, which stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, includes belts that hook the base of a car seat to metal anchors in the vehicle.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/10215 Fri, 08 Jul 2005 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/articles/read/10215
As part of a new system for child seat installation, newly manufactured child safety seats must include attachments that fasten to permanent anchors in a vehicle’s back seat, located where the cushions meet. This system is known as "LATCH" (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children). In the case of the Avatar seats being recalled, the lower attachment straps fail to meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213 for child restraint systems.

If the child seat is attached using the LATCH system and a crash occurs, the attachment straps could detach from the vehicle’s lower anchors possibly resulting in a serious or even fatal injury to the child.

Registered owners of these child safety seats will automatically receive a repair kit along with repair instructions in the mail. Those not registered need to request the kit from the manufacturer. Until the latch belt assembly is replaced, Combi USA advises owners to use the seat only with the vehicle’s safety belts and not with the LATCH system.

Owners who do not receive the free kit within a reasonable time should contact Combi USA toll free at 800-992-6624 or visit Combi’s website at www.combi-intl.com.

Consumers with questions about this or any other safety recall campaign should call NHTSA’s toll free Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 or check NHTSA’s website at www.safercar.gov.]]> http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/Defective_Baby_Car_Seats Fri, 08 Jul 2005 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/Defective_Baby_Car_Seats Defective Baby Car Seats Latest Baby Car Seat Recall
On May 10, 2007 Evenflo Company Inc. in conjunction with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the recall of Evenflo Embrace Infant car seat/carriers because of a malfunctioning handle. Evenflo warned that when used in the carrier mode the handle could without warning release, causing the seat to rotate forward, resulting in the infant falling out.

The affected cars seats and carriers have model numbers beginning with 317, 320, 397, 398, 540, 548, 549, 550, 556, 597, 598 or 599. The units, manufactured in the U.S. and China, were sold nationally through department and baby items stores from December 2004 through September 2006, according to a release from NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).

The statement comes after Evenflo received 679 reports of handles unpredictably releasing. The recall involves approximately 450,000 Evenflo Embrace Infant car seat/carriers made before April 8, 2006. Evenflo reported 160 injuries to children including a skull fracture, two concussions, cuts, scrapes and bruises. Evenflo will start sending out a notice to all registered owners of the car seats and carriers and will send a free repair kit to strengthen the handle latch, the release said.

Defective Baby Car Seats 
Baby car seats are designed to shield children from injuries in a car accident. Baby car seat problems continually involve defective handles, sudden releases, weak construction, unanticipated rotation and others. More than 500 injuries to infants have arisen since 1998 on recalled car seat models. Millions of baby car seats that were sold since 2001 have been recalled by their manufacturers because of design flaws, including weak shells, flammable materials, base/shell separation, and defective harness systems.

From March of 1998 until May of 2001, four major manufacturers of child safety seats announced five recalls involving nearly 10 million car seats. In addition to the baby car seat recall, many other baby car seats for infants are believed to have safety issues. Often problems are identified months or even years before a formal recall is launched. Injuries to children due to defective baby car seats include: bruises, concussions, skull fractures, broken legs and scratches.

If your child has been injured by a defective baby car seat you may be entitled to compensation, please fill out the form at the right for a free case evaluation by a qualified product liability attorney.]]>