Croc of Trouble
December 8, 2008
A Pennsylvania mother brought about a 7.5 million-dollar lawsuit against the makers of Crocs footwear after her young son’s foot was caught and mangled in an escalator at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. Kelly Burdick claims that Crocs Inc. was aware that their footwear were unsafe for escalator travel, yet failed to notify the public.
This claim seems to be legit, as over 200 people across the world have reported similar instances. The company has yet to respond to any of the mishaps directly, but did announce that they will be posting a warning label on shoes manufactured that Spring as part of corrective action. After receiving over 60 complaints about Crocs related escalator accidents, Japan’s trade Ministry requested that Crocs Inc. redesign their shoes.
The following statement was released by Crocs Inc:
“Escalator entrapment’s have occurred for more than 40 years, far longer than Crocs has been in business, and these accidents often are preventable”
While this statement may be very specific, it does not accept responsibility or admit to any wrongdoing, which may be wise during the legal examinations of this case.
A member of the Consumer Product Safety Commission said that “It’s not the shoe causing the injury but an unintentional risk when using an escalator.”
It will be interesting to see what actions they take to protect their image. It seems like their target audiences are mothers and children. Safety scares do not sit well for a company who’s main focus is women and kids!
