CPSC Warns Consumers To Immediately Stop Using Battery Charger Sold On Amazon

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a warning to consumers to immediately stop using SafPow SPC-42020 and AMPOWSURE ASP-C10S42020 battery charges because they pose a serious risk of injury or death. Both companies have refused to issue a recall.

The chargers can charge 36-volt lithium-ion batteries in micromobility products. The CPSC says that although the chargers are marketed as “universal” for broad categories of micromobility products, they are, in fact, not universal and can be incompatible with some of the products for which they are advertised. Using these chargers with an incompatible battery can cause the connected battery to ignite, according to the CPSC.

The CPSC has received 47 reports of fire or “other thermal incidents” involving the chargers. This includes three reports of burn injuries and smoke inhalation injuries. The CPSC also has three reports of property damage totaling $100,200. Consumers are advised to immediately dispose of these products.

The products were sold on Amazon and eBay.

Product liability lawsuits and lithium-ion batteries 

Lithium-ion batteries are used to power everything in society from smartphones to cars. Today, there is no escaping them. However, known dangers exist with this product. In the case mentioned above, the charger can overheat if it’s mingled with the wrong battery type. Once it overheats, it can start on fire causing significant property damage, burn injuries, or smoke inhalation injuries.

Lithium-ion batteries can be highly volatile when exposed to improper charging conditions. This can lead the batteries to overheat, cause fires, and even explode.

In a product liability lawsuit, the plaintiff does not need to establish that the manufacturer of a product was negligent in order to win damages related to their injuries. It’s enough to show that the consumer was using the product in a way that could be readily predicted by the company that manufactured it. During the anticipated use of the product, the plaintiff was injured. In this case, there are reports of burn injuries and smoke inhalation. There is also considerable property damage caused by the product. Both the manufacturer of the product and the retailer (in this case Amazon) can be held liable for any injuries or property damage caused by the defective battery charger.

In this case, the companies that manufactured the battery chargers have refused to issue a recall for the product. The CPSC could lean on Amazon to remove the product from its webpage. Amazon was recently required by the CPSC to take a more active role in product recalls. Amazon is liable for the products that it places into the stream of commerce. The CPSC has ruled that Amazon is a distributor. Distributors are subject to recall orders.

Talk to a Florida Product Liability Lawyer Today 

Halpern, Santos & Pinkert represent the interests of Florida residents who have been injured due to products sold on Amazon. Call our Florida personal injury lawyers today to schedule a consultation, and we can begin investigating your injuries right away.

Source:

cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2024/CPSC-Warns-Consumers-to-Immediately-Stop-Using-SafPow-and-AMPOWSURE-Battery-Chargers-Sold-on-Amazon-com-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards-Risk-of-Serious-Injury-and-Death