Class Action Lead Paint Suit Targets 'Thomas' Toy Manufacturer

By Monica Galvan

Published on June 25, 2007

According to the suit, the 1.5 million “Thomas the Train” toys sold across the country between 2005 and 2007 contain potentially toxic levels of lead paint. A voluntary recall announced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission earlier this month granted parents the option to trade in their old Thomas toys for safer models.

Surfaces on the Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway include lead paint that could potentially make children sick if the paint is ingested. Channing Hesse, the plaintiff in the suit, pointed out that many toddlers put their toys in their mouths, increasing the chances of ingesting the toxic chemical. Her complaint contends that children under age 6 absorb approximately half of the lead they ingest, which can lead to learning disabilities and low IQ.

Representatives from RC2, the manufacturer of the toys as well as numerous other popular toys and developmental products, expressed their interest in helping parents keep their children happy, healthy, and safe with the company's various products, according to the company’s website.

Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, a Seattle-based firm, will be representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

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