The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), in a widely publicized move, has officially recalled the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, due to its unfortunate tendency to explode. Less well-publicized are numerous reports that other Samsung products, including its flagship Galaxy S7 Edge, are also explosion-prone.
On May 30th, Daniel Ramirez was at work with his Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge in his pocket, when it suddenly caught fire. The battery fire left Ramirez with second and third degree burns. Just a few months later, Samsung announced its voluntary recall of 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 phones, admitting that these devices contained a battery flaw that could result in a fire.
An official recall issued by the CPSC followed. The CPSC’s recall notice, released on September 15, 2016, noted that there have been 92 reports of batteries overheating in the United States, with 26 of those including burns and 55 including property damage. The recall applies only to Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones sold before September 15, 2016. The CPSC recommends that consumers stop using and power down the recalled devices.
Samsung claims it has conducted a “thorough investigation” and has concluded that a battery defect is the cause of the sudden fires, stating that “an overheating of the battery cell occurred when the anode-to-cathode came into contact, which is a very rare manufacturing process error.” But experts have provided different opinions regarding the true cause of the sudden rash of explosions involving Samsung products. The problem may be far more widespread than Samsung has yet admitted, especially given the reports of exploding Samsung Galaxy S7s.
The stories emerging from around the nation regarding fires caused by Samsung phones are horrific. Just three days after Samsung’s recall of the Galaxy Note 7, a family in Florida watched as their family vehicle was engulfed in flames. Nathan Dornacher was unaware of the recall when he left his Galaxy Note7 charging in the vehicle. While the vehicle was left a pile of ash and metal, the Dornacher family was miraculously unharmed. In another incident, a six-year-old boy from Brooklyn, was watching videos on a Galaxy Note 7 when it suddenly exploded in his hands, setting off smoke detectors in the process. The child was rushed to the hospital and suffered burns to his hands.
The CPSC and consumers should not assume that Samsung is doing the right thing by recalling just the Galaxy Note 7. Only subtle differences separate the recalled Galaxy Note 7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge. But Samsung’s reputation has already been severely damaged by the Note 7 recalls. A recall of its more popular Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge would likely be catastrophic for the company—so it will likely seek to avoid a broader recall at all costs. Yet the severity of Ramirez’s injuries, and the striking similarity between the explosion of his S7 to the widely reported Note 7 explosions, should prompt a broader investigation.
Keane Law LLC is actively litigating cases involving burns and other injuries resulting from exploding Samsung phones. If your Samsung phone exploded or overheated, causing personal injury or property damage, you likely have a claim for damages. A successful lawsuit may result in paid medical expenses and compensation for pain and suffering, as well as payment for loss of property.
The attorneys at Keane Law LLC focus on product liability, and have recovered millions of dollars for consumers injured by defective products. While these past successes do not guarantee future results, our attorneys are well versed in this complicated area of the law and have leveraged that knowledge towards great success. If you or a loved one has been injured by an overheated or exploding Samsung device, contact us today for a free consultation.