Citrus County Injury Attorney Blog
A Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phone, issued as a replacement for the recalled version of the device, exploded this morning during boarding of Southwest Airlines Flight 994 in Louisville, according to reports.
While no injuries were reported, the incident generated enough smoke to force the evacuation of the plane and cancel the flight to Baltimore.
The phone was apparently a replacement for the Galaxy Note 7 phones Samsung recalled in mid-September.
Samsung issued the following statement:
“There is no evidence that this incident is related to the new Note7. We are working with the authorities and Southwest now to recover the device and confirm the cause.”
The Galaxy Note 7 caused minor damage to the plane’s carpet, where the phone was dropped. The incident comes in the wake of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission formally recalling 1 million Galaxy Note 7 smartphones last month. According to the CPSC, Samsung received 92 reports of batteries overheating in the US, resulting in 26 instances of property damage.
Companies have an obligation to consumers to put out safe products for use. Fortunately, no one was harmed in this incident. However, serious burn injuries could have easily occurred. When a product is defective, like the Galaxy Note 7, there can be multiple responsible parties, including the manufacturer, the wholesaler or distributor, and often the retailer of the product.
If you have suffered injuries from a defective Galaxy Note 7 phone, our Citrus County Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can help. Call us today at 352-726-0078 or contact us online for a free consultation.