Mattel Hit With Lead Paint Lawsuit

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The first lawsuit against Mattel Inc. resulting from a batch of Fisher-Price toys that were manufactured in China and potentially contaminated with lead paint has been filed in Los Angeles federal court.


In the complaint, filed Tuesday, plaintiff Ann L. Mayhew alleges she purchased two Dora the Explorer-themed dolls for her young daughter that were amongst the 1.5 million toys voluntarily recalled by the El Segundo-based toymaker early this month.


Though Mayhew doesn’t allege that the child suffered physical injury as a result of playing with the toys, she is suing on behalf of herself and all people who purchased the recalled toys between May 1 and August 2 for the potential harm they presented, according to the complaint.


Mayhew is seeking more than $5 million in damages and “a medical monitoring program which can detect and prevent serious physical harm associated with lead poisoning.”


Mitchell M. Breit of Watley Drake & Kallas LLC in New York is one of the attorneys representing Mayhew. Breit said the dollar amount would depend on the number of people who purchased toys and the type of program Mattel establishes to deal with the issue.


“I don’t know of any individual child who has been diagnosed with the effects of lead poisoning,” Breit said. “We are bringing the case because we are concerned that the exposure could increase the possibility of lead poisoning.”


Target Corp., which sold her the toys, is also named as a defendant in the case.


A Mattel spokesperson declined to comment, citing its policy to not discuss pending litigation.

Shares of Mattel closed off 49 cents to $22.48 in trading Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange.

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