Once-loyal Samsung customers might be questioning their allegiance to the company's products after reports broke that another one of its products could be defective. Washing machines across the country are breaking down, and at least one products liability suit has already been filed against the company. No injuries have been reported yet, but the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission noted that there is a real and impending safety risk to consumers who use the washing machine.
Affected models are top-loading washers that have manufacturing dates from March 2011 through April 2016, but Samsung has yet to release specific model numbers. The current products liability suit filed outside of California claims that the washing machines contain an inherently defective support rod, which can push wash tubs apart and launch nuts and wires at high rates of speed. This risk is apparently even higher when the washing machine is run on higher settings.
Samsung has acknowledged the issue and advised that consumers do not use the higher wash cycles with certain items, such as bedding. However, most consumers do not purchase a product with the intention of only utilizing some of its features out of fear that it will cause personal or property damage. Samsung is currently working with the CPSC in order to create a solution for the defective washing machines.
Products liability suits are one of the most effective ways to achieve compensation related to damages from defective products. California consumers should be able to reasonably expect that the products they purchase will be both safe and effective, and when those expectations are violated, they can turn to these types of claims. Legal recourse can usually be applied to both financial and emotional damages.