On May 10, 2007, Evenflo in conjunction with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the recall of 450,000 Evenflo Embrace baby seats due to a faulty handle. When used as a baby carrier, the handle can slip out of its “locked” position, potentially throwing the baby out of the child seat. The announcement stated that Evenflo had received 679 reports of the handle “unexpectedly releasing” and 160 injuries including one infant who suffered a fractured skull.

In a blog on the ConsumerReports.org website written by Donald L. Mays and Caroline Mayer, the authors express their frustration at the situation. This, they point out, is the eighth recall in nine years for the exact same type of problem: handles that unexpectedly release. Three of those eight recalls have involved Evenflo models. In all, over 11 million car seat carriers have been recalled during that time.

“You’d think that by now this recurring problem would have been solved,” the authors write. Sadly, it has not – and consumers can only wonder what the next car seat problem will be. In most cases including this latest one, the recall has involved do-it-yourself repair kits that rely on parents to fix the design defects that professional engineers didn’t get right in the first place. Further, there was a blatant mistake in the video instructions offered, which could cause confusion for consumers about the proper way to install the self-repair kit.

The other main source of frustration for the two Consumer Reports bloggers is the time it took for the recall to be made public. The NHTSA began an investigation into the injuries related to the handle release in June 2006, based on five reports from consumers about the problem. Almost immediately, the investigation uncovered 362 reports made directly to Evenflo. Yet it still took almost a year to release a public warning. During that time, according to Consumer Reports, there were over 300 more incidents and about 60 more injuries related to the car seat defect.

The authors asked CPSC spokesperson Julie Vallese why it took so long to issue a recall. They were told that it was because there were two government agencies involved, and each has its own set of requirements that have to be met when designing the recall. (Car seats are regulated by the NHTSA and infant carriers by the CPSC – convertible models are regulated by both.) In other words, bureaucracy played a large part in the delay.

As a result, the bloggers recommend that anyone with car seat defects contact Consumer Reports as well as the manufacturer and government agencies so that the independent organization can get the word out faster about potential, wide-sweeping problems.

If your child has been injured in an Evenflo Embrace car seat and infant carrier due to the handle releasing unexpectedly, or in any car seat due to design or manufacturer defect, contact Jim S. Adler & Associates. We can help you through the difficult process of finding out who is responsible for your child’s injuries, and what can be done about it. We may be able to negotiate a fair settlement for you to cover additional medical bills and your own lost wages while caring for your child, and secure compensation for your pain and suffering. Call Jim S. Adler & Associates now, or fill out the details of your child seat defects or recalled infant carrier accident in the form on this page for a free case evaluation.