It is terribly sad whenever innocent children are injured or otherwise harmed by their beloved toys. Despite the legally mandated manufacturing and distributing standards in the United States, some toys due slip by that should have never ended up in a child's hands. And companies that produce these defective products are legally liable for damages caused.

Parents, guardians, relatives and friends must always do their best to protect the children they love by carefully examining any toys for danger before they hand them to a child and can actively pursue an awareness of all toys publicly known to be unsafe. Two large organizations today are designed to help parents stay aware: the Public Interest Research Group "Trouble in Toyland" that researches and tests many toy products and makes an annual list of unsafe toys and the World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc. also known as W.A.T.C.H., that issues an annual "10 Worst Toys" list of products that have the potential to cause injury or death.

The "Trouble in Toyland" list for 2011 includes: Hasbro's Fur Real Baby, which comes with no warning about potential choking hazards even though it's small components are only a hair's breadth larger than the legal requirements, Fisher Price's Laugh and Learn Toy Phone that may cause hearing loss because it registers noise levels 10 to 25 decibels higher than the maximum decibel level of 65, the P&C Enterprise Real Wood Shape Sorter Barn which has no warning label of choking hazards yet has hazardous small parts and the Big Rex Touch and Feel Cloth Books which are intended for use by babies and toddlers but are made with paint that contains 6 times more than the legal limit of lead.

The 2011 W.A.T.C.H. "10 Worst Toys" list warns against: the Wild Planet Entertainment Spy Gear Viper Blaster for shooting darts with ample force to cause eye injuries, the Disney-Pixar Wall-E foam rocket launcher that can also cause eye injuries, the Pucci Pups Maltese, which comes with a leash that is a strangulation hazard, the Curious George: My First Book of Numbers for newborn infants which has both a metal rod and wooden beads which can be easily dismantled and are clear choking hazards, the Lots to Love Babies Mini-Nursery with a detachable shower head that poses of choking hazard, the CAT Rugged Mini Toy which can cause severe puncture wounds if certain parts are exposed, the X-Men Origins Slashin' Action Wolverine figure which is made with sharp claws that can easily puncture skin and eyes, the Moon Board Pogo board that can lead to impact and head injuries and the Just Kids Junior Musical Instruments sold at K-mart with easily detachable small parts that can cause choking.

Children can be injured by defective toys despite their parents' best precautions. If your child has been a victim of an injury from a defective toy contact a personal injury lawyer for assistance as soon as possible.