Little Tikes is issuing a defective product recall for about 1.6 million toy trucks and workshop sets because these toys have oversized plastic toy nails that can pose a choking hazard to young children. According to a news report in Consumeraffairs.com, the company issued the product recall after receiving one report of an 11-month-old South Carolina boy who nearly choked when the toy nail became forcefully lodged in his throat. The child had to be hospitalized, but made a full recovery.

Defective Toys Pose Choking Hazard

The toy nails that pose a choking hazard were sold with a variety of Little Tikes children's products. The items were made both in the United States and China and sold by various Web sites including www.littletikes.com and retail outlets such as Toys 'R' Us from March 1994 through June 2009 for between $25 and $100. Parents are asked to take these dangerous toy nails immediately from their young children and contact Little Tikes for a free replacement toy nail.

My heart goes out to the 11-month-old boy and his parents who had to undergo the traumatic choking incident. It is indeed fortunate that he did not suffer major injuries as a result of this defective product accident. I'm happy to hear that the child made a complete recovery.

Based on this news report, the question arises whether Little Tikes knew about this hazard during the last 15 years they sold these products. I would be curious about whether the company received complaints about prior near-choking incidents or children putting these nails in their mouths.

California Products Liability Attorneys

As product liabilities attorneys, we often see cases where companies do not issue prompt recalls for dangerous and defective products. Very often, we will see that it takes a catastrophic injury or death for a company to recall these products. Many times, we also notice that company officials have prior knowledge of certain product defects, but put them in the market anyway.

In cases where there is negligence or wrongdoing on the part of the product manufacturer, injured victims may be able to seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, cost of long-term care and other related expenses. In cases where product defects cause death, the victim's family may be able to file a wrongful death claim. If you have been seriously injured by a defective product, please schedule a consultation with an experienced California personal injury lawyer, who will answer your questions and explain your legal rights and options.