Orlando Baby Stroller Injury Attorneys
A baby stroller is typically considered a “must-have” when you become a parent. In fact, improvements in stroller design and manufacture have made them lightweight enough that many parents even take their babies jogging with them. Unfortunately, while a baby stroller is undeniably a great way to bring a baby with you wherever you go, baby strollers can also be dangerous for your child. If a stroller malfunctions, a child can suffer serious, even life-threatening injuries.
If your child was injured in a baby stroller accident, the responsible party (or parties) should be held accountable. At Bailey Fisher PLLC, we have more than half a century of combined successful legal experience both in and out of the courtroom. We are dedicated to making sure that you are compensated fairly for both your child’s physical injuries and for the emotional trauma caused by the injuries your child suffered.
Baby Stroller Accident Injuries
You may depend heavily on your baby stroller, but did you know how often strollers cause injury? Each year an average of 17,000 children are injured in a baby stroller accident, according to a recent study. That same study also found that over the past 21 years, almost 361,000 children ages five and younger were treated in emergency departments for injuries related to strollers or baby carriers.
Baby stroller injuries can occur for a variety of reasons, including:
- The baby is left in the reclined position, and they slip through a leg opening, causing strangulation.
- Folding mechanisms on locks break during use, causing the stroller to suddenly collapse and injure the child.
- Restraint buckles unlatch, posing a risk of serious harm when the baby slips.
- Seat belts break or malfunction, allowing the child to move, slip and fall.
- Brakes fail, allowing the stroller to move, crash into an obstacle and throw or jar the child.
Who Is Responsible for a Baby Stroller Injury Accident?
As a parent, you expect the products you purchase for your child to be reliable and safe. In the United States, we even have a maze of federal laws aimed at ensuring those products are safe. Unfortunately, though, unsafe products still make it into the hands of consumers.
A baby stroller that has been poorly designed or that was made with sub-standard materials can cause a serious risk to babies and young children. When that is the case, the stroller is considered a “defective product.” A product can be defective in one of three ways:
- Design Defects. If the product design itself was defective, the product is said to have a design defect. When a product has a design defect, all products manufactured with that design will be defective. For example, if the design on a baby stroller failed to take into account the need to securely lock the stroller into place, that would be a design defect.
- Manufacturing Defects. When a defect is introduced into a product during the manufacturing phase it is referred to as a “manufacturing defect.” When this is the case, the product’s original design was safe; however, something occurred at the time the product was manufactured that converted that safe design into a defective product. Typically, only some products will have the defect. If the wrong material was used to manufacture a baby stroller seat belt during a period of time, causing the seat belt to fail unexpectedly, the strollers made during that time would be defective.
- Failure to Warn Defects. Some products are inherently dangerous. When that is the case, a duty to warn of the dangerous nature of the product exists. For example, if there is a danger of sudden collapse or a lack of stability if the stroller is not properly locked in place when opened, a stroller may require a warning label stating this and providing an adequate and appropriate warning.
When a defective baby stroller causes or contributes to injuries, anyone who was part of the “chain of distribution” for the product could be legally liable for those injuries, including the emotional pain and suffering experienced by the child and parents. Among those who could be held responsible are the following:
- The product designer
- The product manufacturer
- A manufacturer of component parts
- A party that assembled or installed the product
- The wholesaler
- The retailer
Get the Help You Need from Orlando Baby Stroller Injury Attorneys
If your child has been injured in a baby stroller accident, you are undoubtedly very upset. You purchased that stroller under the belief that it was safe for your child. Nothing can change the fact that your child was injured; however, the responsible party (or parties) can be held accountable and you may be able to obtain fair compensation for the injury, pain and suffering you and your child have endured.
Having an experienced Orlando baby stroller injury attorney on your side is the best way to ensure that your interests and your rights are protected throughout the legal process. At Bailey Fisher, we are dedicated to protecting your rights and explaining your legal options if your child was injured in a baby stroller. Let us be your voice in the legal system. We will aggressively pursue the responsible party (or parties) and ensure that you receive the maximum compensation available for your medical expenses, lost income, pain, and suffering.
Call us at 407-628-2929 or submit our online form today. One of our experienced Orlando baby stroller injury attorneys will evaluate your case for free and advise you on the next steps.