Re: Bad Helmet from Hangar - Advice & Help Please.............

[Guest guest]

Hi . Just from reading your story, it seems to me that the 2

day turnaround on your dd's band might have less to do with FDA

guidelines and more to do with the office you were going to. The

first thing I thought when I read your story is I wonder if they gave

your dd someone else's band? I thought this because I don't think

there is any physical way, FDA or not, that the cast could be sent

away, band made, and band returned to the office in 2 days. Anyway,

that would have been my immediate take on the situaion.

I don't know anything about it, but if that is the case, could it be

a case of malpractice?

Also, I think that the bands are generally required to be back in

less than 2 weeks because the baby's head will probably have changed

in any more time than that and so the band will not fit right. So it

doesn't mean the band isn't allowed to come back in less than 2

weeks, but more that is isn't allowed to take longer than 2 weeks to

come back.

Anyway, just my 2 cents ont he 2 day situation.......

Becky, repo mod

, repo grad

>

> Our daughter is now approaching a year and we are about to give her

a

> third helmet.

>

> We started with Hangar when she was about 7 months (our

pediatrician

> had not really pushed us earlier). Pretty soon after we started

> Hangar had some personnel changes and that is where it went wrong.

> They tried several times to adjust a badly fitting helmet before

> opting to make a new one. We should have been suspicious when it

came

> back within 2 days rather than the 2 weeks it normally takes due to

> FDA approval. Well the second never really fit and left her with

very

> bad rash on her skin which has taken a long time to clear up.

>

> We have now gone to somebody else. We spoke to the local Hangar

> office who seemed very apologetic and wanted to refund us. However

> Head Office seems to have nixed this as the lcoal office aren't

being

> so helpful now. They just want us to come back and let them do it

> again. Of course, we won't - why give them a THIRD go when time is

of

> the essence? Would any reasonable person?

>

> So the question is how to pursue Hangar for getting our money back

> given that the product never worked? We told them yesterday that

> their option was not good enough and to come back again by Tuesday

or

> we want to speak to someone up the food chain. But where to go if

> they stick to it? The FDA? Small Claims court? Or raise the issue

of

> why the second helmet suspiciously came back so quickly and whether

> they skipped the FDA protocol (which may make them give back our

> money pretty quick).

>

> Any advice/help really appreciated, and sorry for the long post!

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I agree, I'm not sure about the whole FDA protocol thing. I've been

under the impression that it normally takes at least a week to ship

the cast, pour the mold, make the helmet, then ship it back (plus

add weekends). I don't believe there is a required 2 week time

frame, just that it should be back within 1-2 weeks since younger

babies grow so fast and there is the risk of an ill fit if it takes

longer. My son's band took 2 weeks, but he was 16 months old, so I

just assumed he was moved to the end of the queue since he was older

and not growing as fast.

Is the Hanger band made right at the local facility? Did they make

the second band from the first cast, or did they recast her? I can

see it taking less time if they just had to call the main facility

and say make a new helmet for so-and-so from her existing mold and

make it a priority. But if she was recasted and everything, 2 days

doesn't seem right. My first thought was similar to Becky's, but

rather maybe they kept the outside shell of your daughter's helmet

but refit the foam? Sort of refurbished it?

Either way, I can understand your frustration and unhappiness. I

would definitely go at them for a full refund. Threatening small

claims court could do the trick. Of course, they might call your

bluff, so you probably need to be willing to follow through. What

about the Better Business Bureau? I don't know much about that, but

I would think it could be worth looking into.

Good luck! I hope the newest band is a success!

Jake-18m (tort resolved/rt plagio/DocBand 2/11/08)

Jordan-4

> >

> > Our daughter is now approaching a year and we are about to give

her

> a

> > third helmet.

> >

> > We started with Hangar when she was about 7 months (our

> pediatrician

> > had not really pushed us earlier). Pretty soon after we started

> > Hangar had some personnel changes and that is where it went

wrong.

> > They tried several times to adjust a badly fitting helmet before

> > opting to make a new one. We should have been suspicious when it

> came

> > back within 2 days rather than the 2 weeks it normally takes due

to

> > FDA approval. Well the second never really fit and left her with

> very

> > bad rash on her skin which has taken a long time to clear up.

> >

> > We have now gone to somebody else. We spoke to the local Hangar

> > office who seemed very apologetic and wanted to refund us.

However

> > Head Office seems to have nixed this as the lcoal office aren't

> being

> > so helpful now. They just want us to come back and let them do

it

> > again. Of course, we won't - why give them a THIRD go when time

is

> of

> > the essence? Would any reasonable person?

> >

> > So the question is how to pursue Hangar for getting our money

back

> > given that the product never worked? We told them yesterday that

> > their option was not good enough and to come back again by

Tuesday

> or

> > we want to speak to someone up the food chain. But where to go

if

> > they stick to it? The FDA? Small Claims court? Or raise the

issue

> of

> > why the second helmet suspiciously came back so quickly and

whether

> > they skipped the FDA protocol (which may make them give back our

> > money pretty quick).

> >

> > Any advice/help really appreciated, and sorry for the long post!

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

When you got the second helmet did they rescan? If they didn't then it is possible to get a new helmet back within 2 days. They save the modified files, so they could have just had the lab remake it then send it next day air from UPS. If they did scan.... they could have done a rush on it but that is unlikely. The turn around time has nothing to do with the FDA. Unfortunately for Hanger, they put in a lot of time and materials into the helmet, but I do agree that you should push for a refund. The office does have to power to refund you. I would highly suggest going to a different facility (hanger or not). Just start all over.... she is 1 year but there is still time! Good luck Amy nwilkens2275 <nwilkens2275@...> wrote: I agree, I'm not sure about the whole FDA protocol thing. I've been under the impression that it normally takes at least a week to ship the cast, pour the mold, make the helmet, then ship it back (plus add weekends). I don't believe there is a required 2 week time frame, just that it should be back within 1-2 weeks since younger babies grow so fast and there is the risk of an ill fit if it takes longer. My son's band took 2 weeks, but he was 16 months old, so I just assumed he was moved to the end of the queue since he was older and not growing as fast. Is the Hanger band made right at the local facility? Did they make

the second band from the first cast, or did they recast her? I can see it taking less time if they just had to call the main facility and say make a new helmet for so-and-so from her existing mold and make it a priority. But if she was recasted and everything, 2 days doesn't seem right. My first thought was similar to Becky's, but rather maybe they kept the outside shell of your daughter's helmet but refit the foam? Sort of refurbished it? Either way, I can understand your frustration and unhappiness. I would definitely go at them for a full refund. Threatening small claims court could do the trick. Of course, they might call your bluff, so you probably need to be willing to follow through. What about the Better Business Bureau? I don't know much about that, but I would think it could be worth looking into. Good luck! I hope the newest band is a success!Jake-18m (tort resolved/rt plagio/DocBand

2/11/08)Jordan-4> >> > Our daughter is now approaching a year and we are about to give her > a > > third helmet.> > > > We started with Hangar when she was about 7 months (our > pediatrician > > had not really pushed us earlier). Pretty soon after we started > >

Hangar had some personnel changes and that is where it went wrong. > > They tried several times to adjust a badly fitting helmet before > > opting to make a new one. We should have been suspicious when it > came > > back within 2 days rather than the 2 weeks it normally takes due to > > FDA approval. Well the second never really fit and left her with > very > > bad rash on her skin which has taken a long time to clear up. > > > > We have now gone to somebody else. We spoke to the local Hangar > > office who seemed very apologetic and wanted to refund us. However > > Head Office seems to have nixed this as the lcoal office aren't > being > > so helpful now. They just want us to come back and let them do it > > again. Of course, we won't - why give them a THIRD go when time is > of > > the essence? Would any

reasonable person?> > > > So the question is how to pursue Hangar for getting our money back > > given that the product never worked? We told them yesterday that > > their option was not good enough and to come back again by Tuesday > or > > we want to speak to someone up the food chain. But where to go if > > they stick to it? The FDA? Small Claims court? Or raise the issue > of > > why the second helmet suspiciously came back so quickly and whether > > they skipped the FDA protocol (which may make them give back our > > money pretty quick).> > > > Any advice/help really appreciated, and sorry for the long post!> > > > > >>

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