Fitbit has issued a product defect recall for over 1.7 million of its Ionic smartwatches after over 100 people reported they suffered burn injuries when the watches overheated.
According to a news report in The Daily Mail, the company, owned by Google, said it would recall about 1.7 million Ionic smartwatches worldwide, with about 1 million sold here in the United States.
The company said it received 74 reports of the lithium-ion batteries overheating, leading to 118 reported injuries, 78 in the United States and 40 internationally. Of those injured in the U.S., two reported that they suffered third-degree burns, a severe type of burn that singes all layers of the skin down to the tissue.
Fitbit Ionic Smartwatches: Potential for Serious Burns
The recalled Ionic smartwatches were sold nationwide and online in stores such as Best Buy, Kohl’s, Target, Amazon.com, and Fitbit.com, from September 2017 through December 2021 for between $200 and $330.
Anyone who has these watches can return them for a refund and discount on future Fitbit purchases. The Taiwanese-made watches were available in three color combinations, including a special edition co-branded with Adidas in ink blue and silver-gray. Fitbit discontinued production of these watches in 2020.
One consumer, Ethan Landers, took to Facebook in 2019 to share photos of third-degree burns he said he sustained because of his malfunctioning Fitbit Ionic. His wife had to rush him to the emergency room.
Landers wrote in a viral post that he was sleeping with the watch on when he woke up with a burning feeling in his wrist. He said the bedroom smelled like an electrical fire. He had suffered a third-degree burn and needed a skin graft, he said.
Landers said he has no feeling in parts of his wrist due to nerve damage and is scarred for life. In 2014, the company recalled more than 1 million of its Force watches after it got about 9,900 reports of the wristbands irritating the skin and 250 reports of blistering.
Fitbit avoided recalling its Flex wristbands after similar complaints later that year by adding an allergy warning about nickel and a sizing guideline to prevent users from wearing the wristbands too tightly.
Product Liability Issues
If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of a dangerous or defective product, such as the Fitbit Ionic smartwatches, you may be able to seek compensation for damages such as medical expenses, lost income, hospitalization, cost of rehabilitation, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.
Injured victims may be able to file a product liability claim against the manufacturer seeking these damages. An experienced product defect lawyer will be able to provide you with additional information about your legal rights and options.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10569087/Fitbit-recalls-1-mln-Ionic-smartwatches-burn-hazard-worries.html
