October 10, 2016 — Samsung has discontinued production of the Galaxy Note7 smartphone after several reports of replacement phones catching on fire.
The announcement was issued soon after all four major carriers in the United States halted exchanges for the Note7. Customers can still exchange their phones for another device or get a cash refund.
At least one person ended up in the hospital — a man in Kentucky who said it caught on fire when he was asleep and filled his bedroom with smoke. He was diagnosed with acute bronchitis.
Other replacement Note7 fires were reported in Virginia, Texas, and Minnesota. Outside the United States, similar incidents were reported in Taiwan and South Korea.
Last week, a Samsung Note7 replacement phone caught on fire on a plane. The incident occurred during the safety demonstration when the plane was at the gate. Everyone was evacuated with no injuries.
The decision to halt production of the replacement phone comes just weeks after Samsung recalled 2.5 million Note7 smartphones. The reports suggest the company has not fixed the problem, despite a software update that limits battery charging to 60% of capacity.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said it is “moving expeditiously to investigate” incidents involving the replacement phones. For phones sold before September 15, the agency received 92 reports of batteries overheating or catching on fire, resulting in 26 burn injuries and 55 reports of property damage.
Do I have a Samsung Note7 Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Samsung Note7 induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was burned, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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