Consumer Reports recently announced a voluntary recall initiated by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) for about “2,300 drop-side cribs made by Shermag” due to the risk that “the drop-side rail hardware can break or fail, allowing the drop side to detach from the crib.” The consumer safety resource explains that toddlers and infants can become “wedged in the gap created between the rail and the mattress, posing risks of suffocation and strangulation.”
According to the consumer information resource, 21 incidents involving the failure or detachment of these drop side cribs are known to the CPSC and the crib manufacturer, Shermag, although no injuries have been reported. In addition to the over 2,000 cribs that have been recalled in the U.S., the recall report explains that about 800 more were recalled in Canada. “Shermag is based in Quebec,” the article reports.
Consumer Reports explains that these “cribs were sold at The Land of Nod and other baby specialty stores for $400 to $800, from September 2004 through December 2008.” Parents can identify these cribs because the manufacturer name, “Shermag,” is “printed on a tag located on the mattress springs.”
Sold in various colors, Consumer Reports indicates that the model numbers of the defective cribs are 202647, 211047, and 272547. The rmodel numbers are located on “stickers and warning labels on the crib’s headboard or footboard.” Consumer Reports also explains that these products were sold both separately, as well as part of several furniture collections, including “City Lights,” “Fairy Tales,” and “Dormez Vous.”
The U.S. CPSC also explains that, in addition to the strangulation and suffocation risk these cribs pose, “children can fall out of the crib when the drop-side rail falls unexpectedly or detaches from the crib,” leading to potentially serious injury. The safety recall advises parents that these failures can result from age and heavy use, as well as improper assembly.
The CPSC warns parents that they should immediately discontinue the use of these cribs and contact the manufacturer to “request a free repair kit that will immobilize the drop-side.” Until parents have received this repair kit and made the necessary alterations, the CPSC has warned parents to find a safe, alternative sleeping arrangement for their children.
The recall report indicates that “Crib age is a factor in safety” and “At a minimum, CPSC staff recommends that you do not use a crib that is older than 10 years old.”
If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a faulty rail in one of the affected Shermag crib models , contact Newsome Law Firm and fill out a case evaluation form today. Our team of attorneys has experience specific to complications associated with recalled products. Not only can they give you the legal guidance you need, they can help you get the compensation you deserve.
References:
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. (September 29, 2011) “Shermag Recalls to Repair Drop-Side Cribs Due to Entrapment, Suffocation and Fall Hazards.” Retrieved on October 31, 2011 from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Consumer Reports: Shermag Crib Recall