Ring Recalls 350,000 Smart Doorbells After Some Caught Fire

Ring, a subsidiary of Amazon, is recalling about 350,000 video doorbells after getting reports that some of them caught fire. According to a CNN news report, the potential fire hazard impacts second-generation Ring doorbells sold in the United States and about 8,700 sold in Canada. The $100 doorbells were sold on Ring’s website and on Amazon.com between June 2020 and October 2020.

Injuries and Property Damage

A notice posted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Ring has received 23 reports of doorbells catching fire and property damage as well as eight reports of burn injuries. Customers can verify if their Ring doorbells are affected by the recall on the company’s support website by entering the model and serial number printed on the back of the device.

Ring has said on its website that consumers don’t need to return their devices, but simply follow a set of instructions available for download on Ring’s website. The instructions note that if the wrong screws are used to secure the video doorbell, the battery could become damaged during the installation creating a potential fire hazard.

Ring and Privacy

Ring, which was bought by Amazon in 2018, was caught up in controversy after it announced partnerships with more than 400 police departments across the United States to give law enforcement easier access to videos recorded on its doorbells.

The partnerships allowed police to submit requests for video recordings for certain locations to help with active investigations. However, this gave rise to privacy issues with advocates saying that it threatened to create a 24/7 surveillance program. More recently, Ring introduced the Always Home Cam, a $250 drone with an attached camera that can automatically fly around customers’ homes and stream video into their smartphones.

Product Liability Issues

The issue that has triggered this recall has the potential to result not only in property damage, but also serious personal injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of these defective products, you may be able to seek compensation for damages such as medical expenses, lost income, hospitalization, cost of rehabilitation, pain and suffering and emotional distress. An experienced product defect lawyer will be able to advise victims in such cases regarding their legal rights and options.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/10/tech/ring-doorbell-recall-fire/index.html