Yes. In 1993, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warned that roughly 9 million WHAM-O and Kransco Slip ‘N Slides posed a paralysis risk for teenagers and adults, because diving onto a wet plastic sheet at speed can drive the body into the neck and compress the spinal cord, causing quadriplegia or paraplegia.
Are Slip ‘N Slides Dangerous? What the CPSC Found
WHAM-O introduced the Slip ‘N Slide in 1961, and the toy has remained a summer staple ever since. In 1993, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a formal recall notice for roughly 9 million Slip ‘N Slides made by WHAM-O and its parent company, Kransco, after tracking seven adults and one 13-year-old who suffered spinal cord or neck injuries on lawn slides between 1973 and 1991. The CPSC’s press release warned: “Use by adults and teens can result in neck injury and paralysis… The slider’s forward momentum drives the body into the neck and compresses the spinal cord.” The toy was pulled from shelves, then returned to stores, and lawn slip ‘n slides are still sold across Oklahoma today.
Oklahoma’s product liability law lets a manufacturer avoid liability for a product that is inherently unsafe and well known to be so, but only if it also gave adequate warning of the risk under 76 O.S. § 57.1, a detail worth remembering for a toy that returned to store shelves after a 1993 paralysis recall.
How Spinal Cord Injury Severity Is Classified
Doctors describe spinal cord injury severity by where along the spine the damage occurs. Cervical (neck) injuries at C1 through C4 cause quadriplegia, also called tetraplegia, paralysis of all four limbs that can include the muscles used to breathe; our page on quadriplegia claims after a spinal cord injury covers what that means for a family. Injuries at C5 through C8 usually paralyze the body from the chest down, though some patients keep movement in the shoulders, elbows, or fingers. Thoracic, lumbar, and sacral injuries lower on the spine generally cause paraplegia and allow more mobility, sometimes with braces or a wheelchair; see paralysis outcomes at each spinal cord injury level for the full breakdown. As a general rule, the higher the injury, the greater the loss of function.
What to Do if a Lawn Slide Injures Your Teen or Child
A paralysis injury from a lawn slide can involve more than one legal theory. If a property owner or supervising adult set up the slide without warning or proper supervision, our team can evaluate a premises liability claim tied to unsafe recreational equipment. If the product’s warnings were inadequate, a product liability claim against the manufacturer may also be worth exploring with an attorney who handles those cases. Families of an injured teenager can also speak with attorneys who handle child injury claims in Oklahoma City. If your child or teenager suffered a spinal cord injury or paralysis on a lawn slide, our team handling paralysis cases across the Oklahoma City area can review the facts and explain what an Oklahoma spinal cord injury claim may be worth. You can also report a similar incident through the CPSC’s SaferProducts.gov database. Contact Hasbrook & Hasbrook for a free consultation.
