Montana shoppers can enjoy the process of searching for gifts of new infants. And while many individuals are mindful of selecting products that will fit or be useful for the children they are shopping for, most people assume that if a product is on the shelf of a store it is safe for use by children of the appropriate age.
This is unfortunately not always the case. Recently the craft retailer Hobby Lobby issued a recall for several baby products sold in its stores. The recall includes rattles and pacifier holders intended for use by infants and small children. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the animal-themed products can become dangerous to children due to the possibility of pieces detaching from the products and becoming choking hazards for the children who use them.
Dangerous products come in all shapes and sizes and, as made evident by this story, some can even look quite innocent. When dangerous products like these enter the world of public goods, consumers are put at risk even when those products are used as intended. In this story, the vendor of the dangerous goods issued a recall, but in some cases, the CPSC will issue a recall in order to protect the public’s safety.
As of yet, there are no reports of child injuries or deaths from these Hobby Lobby products. However, individuals who are harmed by dangerously designed or manufactured products often have rights to compensation for their losses. Products liability theories of law give victims who suffer losses from dangerous products the ability to become whole again through the pursuit of their damages in civil litigation cases.
