If you or a family member has purchased a Bumbo Baby Seat, you should stop using it. On August 15, 2012 the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that Bumbo International has voluntarily recalled the popular Bumbo Baby Seat. As babies maneuver the seats they fall out and sustain injuries such as skull fractures, bumps, bruises and concussions.
The Bumbo Baby Seat is a brightly colored foam cushion that is made for babies who are 3 months old and older. The seats allow babies to sit upright as soon as they can hold up their heads unassisted. Parents often use the durable seat when they are feeding or playing with their babies. They are sold by major retailers including Babies R Us, Toys R Us, Sears, Walmart and Target. Nearly 4 million seats have been sold in the United States since they entered the market in 2003.
This recent recall isn't the first time there were complaints of babies being injured in the Bumbo seats. In 2007, Bumbo International issued a recall for the baby seat. There were reports of babies being hurt after they fell out of seats placed on elevated surfaces. All of the seats manufactured since 2008 include an additional warning label on the front that state the seats should not be used on kitchen countertops, tables and other types of elevated surfaces.
After the 2007 voluntary recall, some consumers did not heed the warnings on the labels. In November 2011, the CPSC issued a press release stating that since the 2007 recall there were at least 45 complaints of babies falling out of the Bumbo seats when they were on placed on elevated surfaces. Between 2007 and 2011, seventeen infants between the ages of 3-10 months old had skull fractures when their heads hit the floor or other hard objects after falling out of the seats.
Initially it was assumed that using the seats on elevated surfaces was the only problem. By November 2011, the CPSC and Bumbo International learned that babies were getting injured even when the seats were placed on the floor. Nine months later Bumbo International has figured out a remedy to address the issue.
Bumbo International released a statement informing consumers that it will add a restraint belt to the Bumbo seat. The restraint belt will prevent infants from moving around and falling out of the seat. The company is offering a free repair kit to consumers. The repair kit contains a restraint belt, installation instructions, updated safety instructions and a warning sticker. Bumbo International is advising consumers to use the restraint belt at all times whenever a child is placed in the seat. The seat should not be used until the restraint belt is installed. It takes about two to three weeks for the repair kit to arrive after ordering it. If you or a loved one has faced an issue with personal injury in Virginia, please visit our Virginia personal injury attorney page for more information.
