Potential choking hazards pose an extreme risk to children, and defective, detachable water bottle spouts are not the only things that can create this risk. Toys, household items, and even food products can be potential choking hazards for children. 

File picture/ NOT Contigo bottle

Contigo, a water bottle manufacturer, issued a recall for their kid’s cleanable water bottle. This recall is due to a defective spout that can detach, creating a potential choking hazard for children.  These water bottles were sold nationwide at retailers and wholesalers such as Target, Wal-Mart, and Costco, between April 2018 and June 2019. There have been about 149 reports of the water bottle’s spout detaching. Although there are no reported injuries, over a dozen of these reports involved a defective spout found in a child’s mouth. 

Individuals that have purchased these defective Contigo kid’s water bottles are eligible for a free replacement lid by filling out a form on the Contigo website.

Choking is extremely dangerous and can potentially be life-threatening. Choking refers to an airway blockage that limits or cuts off the supply of oxygen to the lungs and can quickly lead to a lack of oxygen supply to the brain. A lack of oxygen supply to the brain can cause permanent brain damage or even death within a matter of minutes. 

Since choking can cause significant injuries in a short timeframe, parents and caregivers need to identify defective products quickly and remove access to these dangerous items from their children. 

“Manufacturers are responsible for providing consumers with products that are safe to use. Selling a children’s water bottle that has a spout that comes off in the child’s mouth is an example of a defective product.” Tyson Mutrux of Mutrux Firm Injury Lawyers said, speaking about defective products and the manufacturer’s potential liability if a consumer is harmed or suffers injury from the defective product.

Product manufacturers are responsible for producing consumer goods that are safe for consumers to use. If a consumer suffers an injury as a result of a defective product, the manufacturer could be liable to the consumer for money damages to compensate the consumer for the harm they have suffered.