In one of the most extensive recalls in recent years, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the recall of approximately four million Bumbo baby seats due to fall hazards. Babies can fall or maneuver out of the seat, increasing the risk of suffering serious fall injuries. A previous recall was issued in October 2007 for one million Bumbo baby seats in order to include additional warnings against using/placing them on raised surfaces.
There have been at least 50 incidents since the October 2007 recall, of babies falling from the seats while they were being used on a raised surface. 19 of these incidents involved skull fractures. An additional 34 incidents involved babies falling or maneuvering out of the baby seats while being used on the floor; with two of these injury incidents resulting in skull fractures while the others involved minor injuries, such as bumps and bruises.
The defective Bumbo seats have round and flat bottoms with a 15-inch diameter. They are made from one piece of molded foam and are available in a variety of colors. The seat back wraps completely around the baby, and the front has holes for the baby’s legs. The front of the seat has “Bumbo” written in raised lettering with an elephant image on top. The bottom of the seat has the following information on it: “Manufactured by Bumbo South Africa Material: Polyurethane World Patent No. PCT: ZA/1999/00030.” The back and/or the front seat have warning labels.
These seats were sold for between $30 and $50 at Target, Sears, Toys “R” Us, Babies “R” Us, Walmart, USA Babies, and other children’s stores across the nation, as well as through online retailers. They were sold from August 2003 through August 2012.
Consumers should stop using the recalled seats immediately and contact Bumbo International for a free repair kit by calling (866) 898-4999.
If your child has been injured by a defective product in New Jersey, contact the experienced New Jersey product liability attorneys at Blume Forte to determine whether you may have a valid claim against the manufacturer. For a no-cost consultation regarding your legal rights and potential options, call us at 973-845-4421.