On March 20, 2015, the U.S. Transportation announced that Graco Children’s Products had been fined $10 million after the company failed to provide timely notification of a defect in their car seats regarding a defective buckle that resulted in more than 4 million car seats recalled. The defect in the car seat stems from the unlatching mechanism in the harness buckle. The buckle becomes stuck in a latched condition so that it cannot be opened by depressing the buckle’s release button.
Click here to read the full article: U.S. Transportation Secretary Foxx Announces $10 Million Civil Penalty Against Child Car Seat Manufacturer
Graco was fined $3 million in civil penalties for immediately payment, and then an addition $7 million is due from the company in 5 years unless Graco spends at least the same amount on new steps to improve child safety. The company will be required to provide certification to the U.S. Transportation from an independent, third-party that it has met its cost obligations regarding safety. If Graco fails to meet those requirements, it must pay the balance of the $10 million civil penalty.
Graco must now commit at least $7 million in safety performance requirements, which may include:
- Improving its assessment and identification of potential safety defects.
- Creating a scientifically tested program to increase effectiveness of child seat registration programs.
- Revising its procedures for addressing consumer safety complaints and speed the recall of defective products.
- Launching a campaign to disseminate safety messages to parents and caregivers by producing media products to incorporate in child safety campaigns.
Americans rely on manufacturers to provide a safe well-designed product. Sadly, that is not often the case. The Auto Defect Attorneys at The Brandi Law Firm have successfully represented many people injured from defective autos such as Toyotas, Fords, Chryslers, Hondas, GM, and their component parts. Additionally, we have successfully represented people injured by defective helmets, bicycles, motorcycles, fuel pumps, brakes, car seats, seat belts, air bags, table saws, pumps, industrial machinery used in the workplace, barbeques, heating systems, and numerous other household and industrial products.
Often times, people involved in accidents do not examine the issues of defective product design, the risks inherent in the design, feasible alternatives, and appropriate warnings. In a car accident, we examine whether the car was truly crashworthy – does it contain the appropriate crash protection. In accidents where someone strikes a guardrail, people often do not consider the guardrail may be unsafe, installed improperly, or whether there is a contributing factor in the roadway design leading to a dangerous condition. We have represented a number of people seriously injured in these types of accidents involving dangerous conditions of roads and crashworthy vehicles. If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto crash, our attorneys at The Brandi Law Firm are available to consult with you. Please contact our office at 800-481-1615 or email us.
Trademark Notice
Graco is a registered trademark of Graco Children’s Products Inc. The use of this trademark is solely for product identification and informational purposes. Graco Children’s Products Inc. is not affiliated with this website, and Graco Children’s Products Inc. has no affiliation with The Brandi Law Firm. Nothing on this site has been authorized or approved by Graco Children’s Products Inc.