March 10, 2022 Fitness tech manufacturer Fitbit issued a recall of roughly 1.7 million of their Ionic fitness-tracking smartwatches amid reports that the lithium battery overheats, resulting in burns to the wearer’s skin.
The Ionic smartwatch was manufactured between 2017 and 2020, and over 1.7 million were sold internationally. Reports of user burns began early with the company acknowledging that it has now received 170 reports of battery burns from its product. Current Ionic users were issued a $299 refund and a discount on a replacement product.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were 78 reports of burn injuries in the United States, which included 2 cases of third-degree burns from an overheated battery. The Commission stated that it was aware of 40 burns internationally.
The company issued the statement that “Customer safety is always Fitbit’s top priority and out of an abundance of caution, we are voluntarily recalling Fitbit Ionic smartwatches” and emphasized that the number of problematic watches to date account for less than 0.1% of the units sold.
If you have used the Fitbit Ionic smartwatch and have suffered severe burns as a result of the defective lithium battery, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Contact the experienced team of product liability lawyers at Cellino Law to discuss your options. Our team can be reached 24/7 at 800-555-5555.