BURLINGAME, CALIFORNIA – Brandon and Jennifer Covert, a California couple, have filed five legal claims against Samsung recently in connection with its exploding-phone problem.
All five actions by the Coverts were taken in response to the explosion of the family’s Galaxy S6 Active cellphone. According to the Coverts' claims:
While the couple and their 7-month-old newborn were asleep, Brandon awoke to flames coming from their bedside dresser. The flames, reaching feet high, came from his Samsung cellphone. As Brandon tried to extinguish the fire, both of his hands suffered burns.
In addition to his burns, all the plaintiffs suffered smoke inhalation – something dangerous for adult individuals but especially harmful to newborn babies. Their California home also has been coated with a lingering smoke smell and their dresser has numerous fire marks.
The Covert case is not the only one to have been reported. Since 2011 there have been numerous reports regarding Samsung cellphones bursting into flames, causing fires, reported to not only Samsung but the news media as well. The Coverts' attorney, Gene J. Stonebarger, claimed that Samsung never issued any warnings and said “We believe a full recall of all galaxy Samsung models should be issued.”
In the Coverts' case, Stonebarger said Samsung sent a replacement that was the same model, which contains the same battery used in the apparently fire-prone Galaxy S7 and is manufactured the same way. Many reports regarding Samsung phones igniting have centered on the S7 model and the new battery issued. Stonebarger said his legal position is that “the lithium battery is the core issue.” he said.
“The real issue is that Samsung has knowledge of phones that were not disclosed to consumers,” Stonebarger said. His goal in the legal actions is for Samsung to put safeguards in place to prevent batteries from igniting, he said.
Stonebarger also said in regard to his clients that their cell phone is an “intimate thing” for the family and “people shouldn’t have to worry about a ticking time bomb.” Now, the Covert family does not charge or keep their Samsung phone beside the bed. They have since moved it into the kitchen at night, but are worried this situation could happen again.