August 14, 2007 – The toy manufacturer Mattel, the parent company of Fisher-Price, extends its previously announced worldwide recall of approximately 1.5 million toys. As with the previous Mattel toys recall, the items being pulled from shelves may contain high levels of lead paint, which, if ingested or inhaled, can pose a serious health threat to infants and children. Included in the nine million recalled Mattel toys are Polly Pocket dolls, Batman action figures, “Sarge” toy cars, and Barbie and Tanner playsets.
NEW YORK, New York, August 14, 2007 – The toy manufacturer Mattel, the parent company of Fisher-Price, extends its previously announced worldwide recall of approximately 1.5 million toys. As with the previous Mattel toys recall, the items being pulled from shelves may contain high levels of lead paint which, if ingested or inhaled, can pose a serious health threat to infants and children. Included in the nine million recalled Mattel toys are Polly Pocket dolls, Batman action figures, “Sarge” toy cars, and Barbie and Tanner playsets.
The company also stated that it may be recalling more of these Chinese-made toys, if it finds that additional items also contain lead paint or tiny magnets that, if swallowed, can be harmful to children. According to government officials, at least nineteen children have required surgery, and one child died after swallowing a magnet that was used in a Polly Pocket doll.
Commenting on Mattel’s latest toys recall, Alan J. Konigsberg, lead poisoning attorney, and a senior partner at Levy Konigsberg LLP said that “if toy manufacturers are going to continue to develop their products overseas, in places where questionable materials may be incorporated into the manufacturing process than they need to test their products before they end up on store shelves. To do otherwise is unacceptable and irresponsible.”
To learn more about the many items included in this Mattel toys recall please click on the following links to visit the website of the Consumer Products and Safety Commission:
- Polly Pocket Toy Sets;
- Batman and One Piece magnetic action figure sets;
- “Sarge” die cast toy cars;
- Barbie and Tanner play sets;
- Doggie Day Care.
For a child, even a small amount of lead-based paint is potentially dangerous, if it chips, peels, or otherwise creates dust and has been ingested or inhaled. Children may also be exposed if they chew or suck on a toy that has been coated in lead paint. Because no quantity of lead is safe in the body, a brief exposure to lead can cause significant adverse effects. Besides learning difficulties, elevated levels of lead in the bloodstream are also associated with behavioral problems such as aggressiveness, destructiveness, and hyperactivity.
For more information about this or other lead paint-related product recalls, please contact Levy Konigsberg LLP at (800) 315-3806 or 1-800-988-8005, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
IMPORTANT: If you believe that you or your child has been lead-poisoned, you should speak with an experienced lead poisoning attorney regarding your legal rights. Contact the lead poisoning lawyers at Levy Konigsberg LLP for a free consultation by calling our 24/7 toll-free hotline at 1-800-988-8005 or by submitting an email inquiry (see form above).
