Almost 500 Injuries Reported from Recalled Magnet Sets | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

What happened:

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced the voluntary recall of all Buckyballs and Buckycubes high-powered magnet sets, sold by six retailers, all of who are pulling the products from their inventory.  These products contain defects in the design, warnings and instructions, which pose a substantial risk of injury and death to children and teenagers.

Imported by Maxfield & Oberton LLC, of New York, N.Y., Buckyballs and Buckycubes consist of sets of numerous, small, high-powered magnets. These sets vary in the number of magnets included and come in a variety of colors. Individual magnets in the set are about 5 millimeters in diameter. Individual magnets in Buckyballs are spherical and individual magnets in Buckycubes are cube-shaped.

The CPSC strongly urges consumers should take the high-powered magnet sets and all associated individual magnets away from children and teenagers and contact the retailer from which they purchased the product to obtain instructions for their remedy:

·       Barnes & Noble, toll-free at (855) 592-2993 or online at www.barnesandnoble.com and click on “Product Recalls”

·       Bed Bath & Beyond, toll-free at (800) 462-3966 or online at www.bedbathandbeyond.com and select “Safety and Recalls” under Customer Service, then click on Recall Information

·       Brookstone, toll-free at (866) 576-7337 or online at www.brookstone.com and click on “Recall Information” under Shop Brookstone

·       Participating Hallmark retailers, toll-free at (800) 425-5627 or online at http://www.hallmark.com/recall-product/

·       Marbles the Brain Store, toll-free at (877) 527-2460  or online at www.marblesthebrainstore.com

·       ThinkGeek, toll-free at (888) 433-5788 or online at www.thinkgeek.com/buckyballs/index.shtml

 

The North Carolina Injury Lawyer Perspective:   

According to the report issued by the CPSC, a survey conducted last year of U.S. pediatric gastroenterologists reported 480 cases of children ingesting magnets in the last 10 years, with almost half of those cases reported in the last year.  Swallowed magnets can cause serious illness and intestinal problems. The swallowed magnets can attach to one another inside the body trapping soft tissue in between and possibly leading to holes in the stomach lining.

The CPSC had filed an administrative complaint against the manufacturers of these magnets in July 2012; however, the manufacturer never issued a recall for the products, allowing many more sets to be sold.

If your child has suffered injuries from these magnets, or any other defective product, contact a North Carolina personal injury attorney to find out what compensation your family may be entitled to for pain and loss. Our firm has successfully represented many clients who were injured from defective and recalled products.

 

X-ray of swallowed magnet

 

 

 

 

 

 

Helpful Info:

If your child has been injured by a dangerous or defective product, you may be able to hold the company that manufactured and marketed the device accountable by filing claims for compensation for medical costs, lost wages and pain and suffering. Read this article to begin learning about your legal rights and options when a faulty product leads to injuries.

 

 Have Questions?

You can learn more by reading through this online library of lawyers’ answers to frequently asked questions regarding recalled, poorly designed and unsafe consumer goods.