Consumers across the country who purchased defective plasma and LCD flat-screen televisions sold and manufactured by Philips/Magnavox have been left “holding the bag.” The plasma and LCD televisions are defectively designed because they overheat during normal use.
The overheating causes circuit boards and electrical components within the flat-screen TVs to fail prematurely, resulting in blank or dark screens or blinking red lights, which signals television failure.
Consumers from several states recently filed their consolidated class action complaint (pdf) against Philips Electronics North America Corporation, and against Funai Corporation. In April 2008 Funai entered into an agreement with Philips to sell, manufacture, and provide customer service for Philips/Magnavox flat screen televisions sold in the United States and Canada.
Consumers filed suit because Philips and Funai refuse to fix, replace, or otherwise compensate consumers for the defective plasma and LCD televisions. The consumers allege Philips has received thousands of complaints from across the United States about the defective televisions, but has done nothing to redress the problem.
Consumers further allege Philips and Funai sold the TVs even though they knew the units were defectively designed. Philips and Funai failed to warn consumers the televisions were defective.
Consumers have suffered serious losses since their expensive flat-screen TVs do not work as promised. Consumers allege Philips and Funai committed fraud, breached warranties, violated consumer protection laws, engaged in unfair, deceptive, and fraudulent business practices, and were unjustly enriched by selling the defective Philips/Magnavox plasma and LCD televisions.
The consolidated class action litigation currently is pending in the United States District Court, District of New Jersey, In Re: Philips/Magnavox Television Litigation, Civ. No. 09-3072.
If you would like more information, please contact lead counsel at the Horwitz Horwitz & Paradis law firm.