Table of contents
- Latest Exploding Phone Battery Lawsuit Updates
- April 16, 2026: Casely Power Bank Recall Is Reannounced
- April 17, 2025: CPSC Announces the Casely Recall
- May 6, 2021: Franklin Files a Class Action Against Apple
- January 8, 2021: CPSC Warns About Loose Lithium-Ion Cells
- January 23, 2017: Samsung Blames Note7 Batteries
- October 13, 2016: Note7 Recall Is Expanded
- October 11, 2016: Samsung Stops Note7 Production
- September 15, 2016: CPSC and Samsung Recall the Galaxy Note7
- What Is an Exploding Phone Battery?
- Who May Be Affected?
- Reported Injuries or Damages
- Recall and Regulatory Background
- Evidence to Preserve
- Filing Deadlines
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Can a Phone Battery Explode While Charging?
- What Should I Do If My Phone Overheats?
- Did the Galaxy Note7 Recall Cost Samsung Billions?
- How Should I Dispose of a Recalled Lithium-Ion Battery?
Lithium-ion phone batteries can overheat, catch fire or explode, and users have reported burns and property damage. The Samsung Galaxy Note7 and the Casely Power Pod were both recalled over fire hazards.
One lawsuit names Apple. Robert Franklin’s case over an iPhone 6 battery, filed in the Eastern District of Texas, seeks class action status. These claims are allegations.
No MDL has been formed for phone battery fires. The Note7 recall reached about 1.9 million phones and the Casely recall about 429,200 power banks. Both followed reports of burns, and a recall does not prove liability.
Latest Exploding Phone Battery Lawsuit Updates
April 16, 2026: Casely Power Bank Recall Is Reannounced
CPSC and Casely reannounced the recall of about 429,200 Casely Power Pod power banks, model E33A [1]. It followed 28 additional reports of overheating, expanding or fire, including one fatality.
In August 2024, a 75-year-old New Jersey woman was charging her phone with the power bank on her lap. She suffered second and third degree burns and later died.
April 17, 2025: CPSC Announces the Casely Recall
CPSC announced the Casely recall of about 429,200 Power Pods, model E33A, as recall 25-227 [2]. The agency cited 51 consumer reports of overheating or fire, with six minor burn injuries.
The power banks were sold online at getcasely.com, Amazon.com and other e-commerce websites from March 2022 through September 2024 for between $30 and $70.
May 6, 2021: Franklin Files a Class Action Against Apple
AppleInsider reported that Robert Franklin filed a putative class action against Apple in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas [3]. He is from Hopkins County, Texas.
His complaint says the iPhone 6 exploded in August 2019. It alleges a battery defect that creates a danger of explosion and fire, and says Apple’s warranty was untrue.
January 8, 2021: CPSC Warns About Loose Lithium-Ion Cells
CPSC warned consumers not to buy or use loose 18650 lithium-ion battery cells. The agency said the cells can go into thermal runaway.
The warning, news release 21-065, covers cells taken out of battery packs and used to power devices. It asks consumers to report lithium-ion battery problems at SaferProducts.gov.
January 23, 2017: Samsung Blames Note7 Batteries
Samsung said after internal and independent investigations that batteries caused the Galaxy Note7 incidents [4]. It said errors in design and manufacturing affected batteries from two manufacturers.
October 13, 2016: Note7 Recall Is Expanded
CPSC and Samsung expanded the Galaxy Note7 recall to about 1.9 million phones, including replacement phones, after additional incidents [5]. Samsung had received 96 U.S. reports of overheating.
The notice, recall 17-011, lists 13 burns and 47 reports of property damage. The phones sold from August 2016 through October 2016 for between $850 and $890. Samsung’s toll-free number is 844-365-6197.
October 11, 2016: Samsung Stops Note7 Production
Samsung permanently stopped production of the Galaxy Note7. It told owners to turn the phones off and stop using them. It came two days before CPSC and Samsung widened the recall.
September 15, 2016: CPSC and Samsung Recall the Galaxy Note7
CPSC and Samsung announced the Galaxy Note7 recall of about 1 million phones because the lithium-ion battery can overheat and catch fire [6]. Samsung had received 92 U.S. reports.
The notice, recall 16-266, lists 26 reports of burns and 55 reports of property damage. Owners could get a refund or replacement.
What Is an Exploding Phone Battery?
CPSC says loose rechargeable lithium cells that short-circuit can overheat and experience thermal runaway. This ignites the cell’s internal materials and forcibly expels burning contents. The result can be fires, explosions, serious injuries and even death [7].
The CPSC warning is about loose 18650 cells, while the cases on this page involve phone batteries and power banks.
Who May Be Affected?
People may be affected if a phone or portable power bank overheated or caught fire while they charged or used it.
Franklin alleges his iPhone 6 exploded while he listened to music. Casely Power Pod users were charging a phone, and Galaxy Note7 owners used a recalled phone. Any claim needs a legal review of your phone, injuries and records.
Reported Injuries or Damages
Robert Franklin alleges injuries to his eyes and wrist, plus the loss of his phone and medical costs. These are allegations from the complaint.
CPSC recall notices for the Galaxy Note7 and the Casely Power Pod describe burns and property damage. The Casely notice from April 2026 also says a 47-year-old woman on an airplane suffered first degree burns in February 2026.
Samsung ran its own investigation. It found too little insulation in some Note7 batteries and too little room for electrodes in others. Reports like these do not prove that a device caused every incident.
Recall and Regulatory Background
Samsung offered a refund or replacement for the recalled Galaxy Note7. Casely offers a free replacement for the Power Pod. Casely’s toll-free line is 888-964-9331, and its email is recall@getcasely.com.
A recall does not prove liability. For a claim over a different phone, see our iPhone battery explosion lawsuit page.
Evidence to Preserve
If a phone or power bank overheated or caught fire, keep everything that shows what happened. Useful evidence includes:
- The damaged phone or power bank, along with its charger and original box if you still have them.
- The serial number or IMEI number, which helps identify the exact device involved.
- Purchase records showing where and when you bought the phone or power bank.
- Photographs of the device and of the damage it caused to you or your property.
- Medical records and bills for any treatment after the fire or explosion.
- Messages or emails with the manufacturer or seller about the device and the problem.
Filing Deadlines
Filing deadlines for injury claims come from state law. Which deadline applies depends on where you live and when you were hurt.
Missing a filing deadline can end a claim altogether, even when the facts are strong. Check with a lawyer promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Phone Battery Explode While Charging?
A lithium-ion power bank can catch fire while it charges a phone, according to CPSC’s Casely recall notices. CPSC recalled the Casely Power Pod over fire and burn hazards after reports of overheating.
What Should I Do If My Phone Overheats?
If your phone overheats, report the problem to CPSC at SaferProducts.gov. The agency takes reports of lithium-ion battery problems there. Keep the device, because it may later serve as evidence of what happened to you.
Did the Galaxy Note7 Recall Cost Samsung Billions?
Yes, the Galaxy Note7 recall is thought to have cost Samsung $5.3bn, according to BBC News. That figure is an estimate, so treat it as an approximate cost rather than a confirmed total.
How Should I Dispose of a Recalled Lithium-Ion Battery?
Do not put a recalled lithium-ion battery in the trash, general recycling or battery recycling boxes, according to CPSC’s Casely notice. Contact your municipal household hazardous waste center first to learn how to dispose of it.