Fitbit Burn Lawsuit Lawyer

Update: Buckfire Law is no longer accepting these cases. We regret we cannot assist you. You may want to contact a law firm in your area to see if they will accept your case.

Our Fitbit burn lawsuit lawyers handle cases for victims of burns caused by Fitbit Ionic Smartwatches. The overheating lithium-ion batteries can cause devastating burns, and lead to hospitalization, medical care, and permanent injuries.

If you or someone you care about was burned by a Fitbit Ionic Smartwatch, call us today for your free case review. Our defective product attorneys will start investigating your case immediately.

• Why was the Fitbit Ionic Recalled?
• What Type of Burns Can the Fitbit Cause?
• Which Fitbits were recalled?
• What Should I do if I was Injured?
• Get Started by Contacting our Fitbit Burn Lawsuit Lawyers

What is a Fitbit Smartwatch?

Fitbit is an American company founded in 2007 focusing on wearable fitness monitors and activity trackers. Their first fitness tracker was released in 2009.

The Fitbit Ionic model was first introduced in 2017 as a direct competitor to other smartwatches.

Fitbit trackers are sold at many different retailers including:

• Amazon
• Target
• Kohls
• Costco
• Best Buy

Why was the Fitbit Ionic Recalled?

Fitbit Ionic was recalled in March 2022 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission due to the risk of the lithium-ion battery overheating, which is a burn hazard. There have been at least 115 reports in the United States and 59 reports internationally about the Fitbit Ionic lithium-ion battery overheating.

There have been 78 reports of burn injuries due to the overheating battery, with two being third-degree burns and four being second-degree burns. Internationally, there have been 40 reports of burns.  It is likely there may be many other burn victims who simply did not report their injuries to anyone.

Over one million Fitbit Ionic smartwatches have been sold in the U.S. and over 693,000 internationally.

Why do Lithium Batteries Catch Fire or Explode?

Lithium batteries are made to deliver high output with minimal weight. Battery components are designed to be lightweight so that everyday consumer products are not bulky or heavy.  To do this,  thin partitions  are used between cells and a thin outer covering. The partitions or coating are fragile can be punctured. When a battery is damaged, a short occurs. and spark can ignite the highly reactive lithium.  Or, the batter can overheat and put pressure of the content inside the battery, possibly causing an explosion.

What are the Fitbit Smartwatch Burn Types?

The defective Fitbit Ionic may cause different types of burns, which are classified depending on how deep and how severe they are:

• First-degree burns only affect the outer layer of skin, causing it to be red and painful with no blisters. Long-term damage is rare.
• Second-degree burns affect the outermost layer of skin, the epidermis, and part of the dermis, which is the layer underneath. The burned area is bright red, blistered, swollen, painful, and may look shiny and wet. A second-degree burn may leave a scar or a permanent change to the color of your skin at the burn site.
• Third-degree burns destroy both the epidermis and dermis. They may also damage the underlying bones, muscles, or tendons. The burn site appears may appear black or charred, white or yellow. This burn area won’t hurt because the nerve endings have been damaged.  A third-degree burn will leave behind scars and some require skin grafts to minimize scarring.

Which Fitbits were Recalled?

The recall currently only includes the Fitbit Ionic Smartwatch manufactured between 2017 and 2020. The smartwatch tracks activity, heart rate, and sleep. It was sold with a polyurethane band and came in the following colors:

• Slate blue/burnt orange
• Charcoal/smoke gray
• Blue gray/silver gray
• Adidas special edition in ink blue/silver

The model number can be located on the back of the device where the band attaches. The Fitbit tracker models affected by the recall are:

• Ionic FB503CPBU
• Ionic FB503CPBU
• Ionic FB503GYBK
• Ionic FB503WTGY
• Ionic FB503WTNV

Fitbit has previous issues with other products. In 2014, Fitbit recalled the Fitbit Force due to some users experiencing allergic reactions to the materials used in the product.

Fitbit investigated claims of the Fitbit Flex 2 device exploding and causing second-degree burns in 2017 but did not recall the devices.

What Should You do After a Fitbit Burn?

If you were burned by a Fitbit smartwatch, there are several things you should do immediately after. These include:

• Seek prompt medical attention
• Save the device that exploded or overheated
• Take photos of the device and the damage it caused
• Get photos of your injuries and scars
• Find the receipt or credit card bill showing proof of purchase

Along with these steps, it may be helpful to contact a exploding product lawyer. If your burn injury can be traced back to the defective device, the injured person may be entitled to compensation from the Fitbit company.

Can I Sue if I Was Burned by a Fitbit Watch?

You can sue the product manufacturer if you suffered a Fitbit burn injury.  These are product liability lawsuits that allege a dangerous product caused harm to a user.

Product liability lawsuits allege that the manufacture violated state and federal laws by selling dangerous product to consumers.  Most cases sue based upon the legal theories of negligence, strict liability, and breach of warranty.  Other theories include defective design, defective manufacturing, and failure to warn the purchase of the dangers of the product.

How Much are Fitbit Burn Lawsuit Settlements?

Dangerous and defective product lawsuits seek two types of damages. First, the suit seeks compensation for the pain and suffering, scarring and disfigurement, and other types of non-economic claims.  These damages are proven by medical records, treatment records, and photographs depicting the injuries.

Second, the lawsuit suit demands compensation for medical bills and lost wages. Additionally, some states allow for punitive or exemplary damages against the product manufacturer.

The settlement amount varies from case to case depending on the severity of the injuries and the extent of the medical treatment and other damage claims.

Contact our Fitbit Burn Lawsuit Lawyers

If you were burned by an overheating or exploding Fitbit Ionic smartwatch, our exploding product lawyers can help. Call us today for your free case review.

The Buckfire Law legal team will immediately begin investigating your potential claim.  If you have a case, we will start working on it immediately.

We do not charge any fees unless we win a settlement.