"Teenage Mutant Ninja" foam chairs

CPSC Recall #96-017 - November 13, 1995

Recall Summary

Recall Number96-017
Recall DateNovember 13, 1995
Remedy TypeRepair
Units Affected69,100

Product

"Teenage Mutant Ninja" foam chairs

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - CPSC, Ace Novelty of Bellevue, Wash., is instructing consumers to remove the strap on 69,100 "Teenage Mutant Ninja" foam chairs. Children can become entangled and strangle in the strap. CPSC is aware of four incidents in which the children ranging between two and four years old were caught under the bandanna-style strap. No injuries were reported and no medical attention was required. The chairs, measuring 2 feet high by 14 inches wide, were part of the "Teenage Mutant Ninja" series, which features a variety of products based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon characters. Each of the green plush chairs features a yellow seat and a Ninja Turtle head as a backrest. The chairs were sold in four styles, all with model number 28021: "Raphael," "Leonardo," "Michelangelo," and "Donitello." Each chair has a red bandanna around the backrest, red mesh wrist straps on the arms, and a red "R," "L," "M," or "D" in a black stripe along the bottom of the chair. Toy stores and department stores sold the 69,100 "Teenage Mutant Ninja " chairs nationwide from January 1990 through April 1991 for approximately $19. Consumers should immediately cut the bandanna-style strap from the chairs and discard the strap. Consumers who have questions about this corrective action should contact Ms. McCoy at Ace Novelty at (800) 759-1223 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PST.

Hazard

Children can become entangled and strangle in the strap.

Incidents & Injuries

CPSC is aware of four incidents in which the children ranging between two and four years old were caught under the bandanna-style strap. No injuries were reported and no medical attention was required.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should immediately cut the bandanna-style strap from the chairs and discard the strap. 

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Repair at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly, either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Repair) at no cost to you.

Yes. If you were injured by a defective consumer product, whether recalled or not, you may have grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer and potentially the retailer. A recall notice can serve as evidence that the manufacturer was aware of the defect. Injuries that may support a claim include burns, lacerations, fractures, electric shock, choking incidents, and chemical exposure. Most product liability attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless you win. Consult an attorney promptly, as statutes of limitation vary by state.

In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.

If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney, parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.