Defective Product: Graco Child Car Seat Recall is Prompted by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

The most important piece of safety equipment that prevents children from being injured in car accidents is a safety seat.  It is so important that hospitals won’t even let you go home with your new baby until a safety car seat check is done.  So it is disheartening to hear that Graco Children’s Products is recalling 1.9 million infant car seats only after conceding to demands from U.S. safety regulators.

This recall has been five-months in the making.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been after Graco to recall their infant car seats because the harness buckles can get stuck. But it resisted the agency’s demand to recall the infant seats.  Buckles can get gummed up by food and drinks, and that could make it hard to remove children. In some cases parents had to cut harnesses to get their kids out. The agency says that increases the risk of injuries in emergencies.

As Virginia personal injury lawyers we have experience dealing with child accident injuries.  When a child is injured the first question most parents have is, “What is the legal process for filing a personal injury claim for a minor?  This will be the first of many questions that will need to be addressed before your child can recover any compensation for their injuries.  Each child injury case is different and special, just like your child.  Things to consider will be if there are permanent injuries or scars.  Some injuries can leave long-lasting consequences that your child will have to deal with their entire life.  Hiring a personal injury attorney will insure that you prove the value of your child and guide parents in the role of the legal process.

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Infant-seat models covered by Tuesday’s recall include the SnugRide, SnugRide Classic Connect (including Classic Connect 30 and 35), SnugRide 30, SnugRide 35, SnugRide Click Connect 40, and Aprica A30. They were manufactured between July 2010 and May 2013, according to NHTSA.  Graco will replace the buckles for free. Graco also is offering to send free replacement buckles to any customer, even those with seats not being recalled.  The company says owners can check to see if their seats are included by going to www.GracoBuckleRecall.com or by calling (877) 766-7470.