Citing safety reasons, the short-lived Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has been officially recalled by the worldwide leading technology company after at least five reported incidents within the past week of the phone’s lithium ion battery overheating and causing violent explosions. These recent explosions put the final nail in the Note’s coffin because they happened with so-called “replacement phones,” which were supposedly safe; a measure that Samsung took after dozens of reports, just in the U.S., of the originally-launched phones having similar failures. As of Oct. 10, Samsung officially called for all Galaxy Note 7 phones to be returned and for its stores to stop selling the device.
All Galaxy Note 7 users should halt use of their phones and return them to their providers for a refund. Samsung announced that returns will be eligible for refunds until at least Dec. 31, 2016. Since one of the explosions happened mid-flight on a commercial airliner, the FAA has issued a statement forbidding the use of the device by flight crew or passengers on any aircraft. The unprecedented recall of a device that just released in August will send serious shockwaves throughout the tech world. It has been reported that Samsung’s mobile phone stock dropped 8 percent due to the announcement, and The Verge reported they will lose approximately upwards of $17 billion. The exact cause of the mechanical failure is under investigation with Samsung and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Lawsuits likely incoming for Samsung
The recall is sure to spawn class action lawsuits and potentially civil suits against Samsung from the individuals who were harmed from the exploding phones.
One man from Nicholasville, Kentucky was woken up in the middle of the night by a sharp hissing sound. Scared to death, he saw his room filling with black smoke and saw his phone was ignited. A terrible smell filled the air. Later that day, the man went to the emergency room due to feeling nauseous, and reported “vomiting black stuff.” To make matters worse for Samsung, one of their employees responding to the man’s correspondence about the incident accidentally sent the victim a text message outlining what was obviously intended to be an internal affairs conversation talking about how to handle the man’s situation. “Just now got this,” the text message from the Samsung employee read. “I can try and slow him down if we think it will matter, or we just let him do what he keeps threatening to do and see if he does it.” It isn’t known if the man was threatening a lawsuit, but he would have firm ground to stand on if he were to pursue a suit for a faulty product. That accidental text message might not look good for Samsung in a courtroom.
If you or someone you love was harmed by a Galaxy Note, call us
Expanding technology and the magic of smart phones is an undeniable wonder of the modern world. We rely on these devices every day to keep us informed and connected to every facet of our lives. We also expect them to operate safely, and there is simply no excuse for why these phones were approved with such a prevalent design flaw. One or two incidents is acceptable and, some would argue, unavoidable. Dozens of these cases is not an accident. At Altman & Altman LLP, we have decades of experience pursuing cases involving negligent companies and faulty products that cause harm to its users, no matter how gigantic the company is. If you or anyone you know has been harmed by a mechanical failure of a Galaxy Note 7, do not hesitate to fight for the compensation you deserve. We offer free consultations and will not rest until you are vindicated for your pain and suffering.
Call us today at 617-492-3000 or toll-free at 800-481-6199 to set up a FREE consultation with a member of our experienced legal team. We are available 24/7.