Mattel May Face Class-Action Suit

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Another parent has sued Mattel Inc and its Fisher-Price Inc unit after the company recalled some 1.5 million units this month due to their lead paint content, according to a court filing.


Farrah Shoukry is seeking a refund for the toys she purchased and money for diagnostic tests for lead poisoning, according to the suit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan Friday.


Shoukry, who said she bought one of the recalled toys for her daughter, wants class action status for the lawsuit.


Fisher-Price recalled the toys on August 1 because their surface paint might contain excessive amounts of lead.


The recall was Mattel’s largest since 1998 when it recalled 10 million Power Wheels vehicles, made by Fisher-Price.


The suit also comes in the wake of reports that the owner of the Chinese factory where the tainted toys were made hanged himself over the weekend after Chinese officials were intensifying their investigation into the origin of the lead paint.


Another lawsuit was filed last week by Ann L. Mayhew alleging that while her child did not suffer 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 the toys might have presented.


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.” The suit was filed in Los Angeles federal court.


Shares in Mattel closed up 53 cents, or 2.3 percent, to $23.57 in trading Monday on the New York stock Exchange.

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