By: U. Kelley Riedel, Attorney at Law
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Earlier today, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, along with State Farm of Bloomington, Illinois, announced an immediate recall of “State Farm Good Neigh Bears” due to a potential choking hazard posed to children.
About 800,000 State Farm Good Neigh Bears have been distributed in the United States and about 27,000 were distributed in Canada. The bears were given to consumers at no cost by State Farm agents and at State Farm sponsored events from September 2005 through March 2007. The recalled bears include both the 11 inch (28 cm) size as well as the 18 inch (46 cm) size, and are brown and white with a red State Farm shirt.
State Farm received a report of one child removing the plastic eye from the bear and putting it in her mouth. No injuries have been reported, but because the plastic eyes of this promotional bear can come off, they pose a choking hazard to young children. Therefore consumers should immediately take these bears away from children and discard them.
Thousands of products, including many toys, are recalled each year due to choking hazards posed to young children. It is not recommended that children ages 3 and under be allowed to come into contact with toys which have small plastic parts which can be removed, either intentionally or unintentionally, and potential swallowed. Parents have been advised not to allow their children to play with any items which can easily pass through a paper towel holder, as these items can also fit into a child’s mouth thereby causing a choking hazard.
U. Kelley Riedel is a Partner with the law firm of Berman & Riedel, LLP, and has extensive experience in handling defective product cases, as well as cases involving personal injury, death caused by acts of another person, and nursing home abuse and neglect.
