Samsung Product Defects Could Cause Personal Injuries in Naperville
If you live in Naperville and have recently purchased a Samsung product, you should be aware of a couple of significant safety recalls. As a recent report from ABC News explains, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, a new smartphone device, was recalled due to the serious risk of fire and burn-related injuries. Just a couple of weeks later, news arose about a possible product defect in Samsung top-loading washing machines that can lead the appliance to explode, according to a recent article in Business Insider. While some product defects are relatively minor and often do not result in severe or life-threatening personal injuries—or place consumers at serious risk of this level of harm—the recent Samsung recalls are different. Both of the products mentioned have the potential to cause serious and even life-threatening injuries.
What else do you need to know about the potential safety defects in these Samsung devices? And what should you do if you own one of the dangerous products?
Lithium-Ion Battery Hazards in Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Smartphones
The first significant recall concerns the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones released earlier this summer. What is wrong with these devices? In short, there is a problem with the lithium-ion battery. The defect does not impact the design of the phone as a whole, but rather the battery contained within it. Under certain conditions, including when plugged into a power source, the battery can overheat and can cause an explosion or a fire. According to the ABC News report, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) knows of 92 reports involving overheating lithium-ion batteries. In 55 of those cases, fires started and caused property damage in consumers’ cars and garages, among other places. In 26 of those reported incidents, consumers sustained burn-related injuries due to explosion or fire from the overheating battery.
Since the initial recall on September 15, consumers have been exchanging their phones or receiving refunds—both of which are options for anyone who has one of the defective products in their possession. Samsung has emphasized that, if you do have a Samsung smartphone with the dangerous lithium-ion battery, you should keep the phone turned off until you can have it replaced or refunded. Yet since the recall, only about 60 percent of consumers who purchased the phones have sought a replacement or a refund, according to the report. Given that the recall involved almost one million devices, there are likely hundreds of thousands of consumers out there who still could suffer injuries if they do not heed the recall.
Samsung Top-Loading Washers Also Pose Risk of Explosion
Just after the CPSC recall was announced for the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, news of a class action lawsuit against the company addressed the possibility of another product defect. In this case, the potentially dangerous product is a top-loading washing machine. As the Business Insider article clarifies, Samsung has issued a warning to owners that there is a “risk of personal injury or property damage” when running wash cycles that include “bedding, bulky, or water-resistant items.”
Although a recall has yet to be issued, consumers who own a top-loading Samsung washing machine should be aware of the potential risk of personal injury.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer in Naperville
If a defective product caused injuries to you or someone you love, an experienced Naperville personal injury attorney can help. Contact Woodruff Johnson & Evans Law Offices today for more information about filing a lawsuit.