Samsung Screwed Up a Smartphone AND a Recall

In case you missed it, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission has officially recalled 1 million Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones after dozens of the devices caught fire while charging. The defective devices caused a reported 92 instances of overheating so far, of which 55 involved property damage and 26 involved burns. Unfortunately, these problems were entirely avoidable; Samsung fumbled this recall at almost every stage.

Recalling exploding smartphones took almost a month

The Galaxy Note 7 launched on August 19, almost a month ahead of Apple’s iPhone 7. Within two weeks, the company issued a global recall without informing the CPSC, a serious misstep and a violation of US law. While it remains unclear just when Samsung contacted the agency, the CPSC did not address the defective smartphone until September 9, nearly a week after Samsung’s global recall. The official recall didn’t happen until September 15, nearly a month after the issue was first discovered.

At every stage, customers who already owned the product were sent conflicting information. Morningstar reported:

“In an initial statement on its U.S. website on Sept. 2, Samsung said there were battery issues with the phone but didn’t detail the problem, nor did it advise customers to turn off their phones. It also said owners could exchange their phones as early as that week. A week later, Samsung revised the release, advising people to turn off their phones and saying exchanges would be available ‘pending CPSC approval.’ Adding to the confusion, some customers say they have been given contradictory information when they seek to exchange their devices.”

Real people were severely injured

The delay resulted in several serious incidents: a 6-year-old Brooklyn boy was burned when a defective phone exploded in his hands; a Jeep in Florida caught fire while a device was charging inside; a South Carolina family was displaced when an unattended smartphone set fire to their house. Most recently, Jonathan Strobel, 28, of Florida suffered severe burns when his phone caught fire in his pants pocket. Strobel is the first to file a lawsuit against Samsung for their abysmal failure to recall the devices effectively.

While Samsung and the CPSC were waiting, the US Federal Aviation Administration took matters into its own hands. Passengers on commercial flights were asked to power down the devices and protect the power switches to prevent accidental activation.

We urge you to please contact your service provider about your options if you purchased a Samsung Galaxy Note 7. You can also call 1-800-SAMSUNG (1-800-726-7864) to find out if your phone needs to be exchanged.

If you or your loved one has been injured because of a defective device, you may be entitled to compensation. The aggressive and effective South Carolina products liability attorneys at McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips LLC can fight for your family and get the compensation you deserve. Call 803-327-7800 or contact us today for a free consultation.