Government Agency Issues Safety Warning about Popular Water Recreation Toy

By Peter DePaolis
Attorney

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers about the dangers of a popular activity called water walking. The product has various brand names and the CPSC says there is a risk of suffocating and drowning while doing the activity.

The participant climbs inside a large, transparent plastic ball, which the operator inflates through a zipper opening. Once inside, the ball is airtight and the participant begins walking on water, ice or grass. The activity is popular with children and is a featured ride at amusement parks, carnivals, shopping malls and sporting events. In one reported incident, a child became unresponsive after being inside the apparatus for a brief time. Another person suffered a fracture when the ball fell out of the pool and onto the ground.

The CPSC says that in addition to drowning, there is the possibility of impact injuries. There is no padding inside the ball and no protection from a collision with other balls or the ground. Several states have banned the toy and the CPSC does not know of any safe way to use the defective product.

If you suffer injures from a dangerous product, a Washington, D.C. personal injury attorney can help you file a lawsuit against the manufacturer. Contact a Washington, D.C. personal injury lawyer at the law firm Koonz, McKenney, Johnson & DePaolis. Attorney Kelly Fisher can represent you in a product liability action.

About the Author
Peter DePaolis joined the firm in 1980 and has since represented a large number of individuals involved in automobile collisions, truck accidents, bus crashes, defective products, and medical malpractice cases. A significant portion of Mr. DePaolis’ practice is devoted to working on behalf of people suffering from asbestosis, mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related cancers. He has led his firm’s fight against the asbestos industry and has recovered over $30 million in damages for asbestos victims and their families.