Apple iPod Touch Product Liability Lawsuit

Apple is facing a product liability lawsuit from the mother of a 15-year-old boy who said his 16 GB iPod Touch exploded in his pants pocket, resulting in severe burn injuries to his leg. According to a report in CNET, the lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. According to court filings, the boy apparently heard a loud popping sound and immediately felt a burning sensation in his leg. His iPod had exploded and caught fire in his pants pocket. The teenager immediately ran into a bathroom and removed his burning pants with help from a friend. The Apple iPod Touch had incinerated his pants pocket burning his leg.

The boy suffered second-degree burn injuries as a result of the explosion. His family is seeking in excess of $225,000 in compensatory and punitive damages on the teenager’s behalf. The CNET article states that mobile device explosions that cause injuries unfortunately occur quite commonly and in many cases occur because of defective batteries that were put in by the user. With the iPod Touch, the battery is not replaceable by the user and so must have been an original Apple battery that may have been defective. I’m sure the details of what went so terribly wrong with this particular product will unfold as the case progresses.

My heart goes out to the teenager and his family. What a horrific and nightmarish experience! I wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery from his severe burn injuries.

As a California product defect attorney, I’m pleased to hear that this boy’s family has made a bold decision to go after Apple and pursue their rights. They must have incurred expenditures to pay for their son’s medical treatment, cosmetic surgery if it was needed or was possible and continuing medical expenses. These incidents, when they happen to young people, can also have a huge emotional and psychological impact. The boy and his family deserve to be compensated by the manufacturer of this defective and dangerous product. I wish them well in their pursuit for justice. If you or someone you love has been injured by these or other defective products, I’d like to hear about it.

Information for our blog was obtained from this CNET report.