Pushchair Firm Pays-Out Over Injuries

Pushchair manufactuer, Maclaren, has agreed to compensate 40 UK children who have seriously injured their fingers in the hinges of their prams.

The children were aged between one and eight when they were hurt, with some cases dating back to 2003.

Many needed surgery after losing part of their finger when the buggy was erected, while others fractured bones or suffered deep lacerations.

In 2009 Maclaren recalled one million prams in the US after reports of similar injuries but, said the lawyers, it insisted that UK buggies were not affected and a recall has not taken place in this country - hinge covers are available but consumers must request them via the firm's website.

Following these reports, many families of British children who had suffered injuries on Maclaren buggies came forward to issue complaints.

Millions of buggies remain in use and despite claims from Maclaren that there are insufficient cases in the UK to warrant a recall, injuries still occur.

A spokeswoman for the company said: "We are genuinely committed to recompense any child who's been genuinely injured by finger entrapment in one of our products. We take the safety of children very seriously.

"We have sold more than a million buggies in the past decade in the UK and have only had around 100 complaints. We feel this issue affects the whole industry and not just Maclaren."

It’s estimated that the compensation amounts awarded could range from £2,500 to £10,000, depending on the severity of the child’s injuries.

(LB/BMcC)