Laptops need to have HAZMAT fees

The same thing can happen to Your cell phone battery!

It's a known issue with slip and fall types sabottaging their battery in the attempt for an out of court settlement. This guy will probably buy a new home with the money. Then we all get to pay higher prices.

It's very sad really

Chances are that was a Li-ion battery. If it just short circuits, it can cause the cells to get hot enough to vent hydrogen. Hydrogen passing over orange-hot leads isn't "compatable with safety". Puncturing the cell can also induce a short and cause hydrogen to vent. Looks like one of those scenarios might have been what happened there.

Dave

1. What evidence makes you think this was sabotage? If it was sabotoge and he was going after a settlement, I think he would try to make the damage to himself and/or his property much more dramatic. As it is, only 1 table got burned. And he apparently didn't suffer any serious injury if he brought it in for repairs himself.
2. How do you know the guy planned on bringing a lawsuit? If he was planning a lawsuit, I think he would have kept it in the damaged condition as evidence. Instead, he brought it in for repair (or more like replacement).
3. Are you aware that Li-ion batteries are actually capable of going up in flames under the correct combination of unlucky circumstances?

Dave

Yea, next thing you know some terrorist is going to use laptop batteries to blow up airplanes...

-- TAI FU

Not everyone wants a multi million dollar settlement. This guy just shorts hi LI batter out. get's it confirmed from a leggitamate business. Lawyer sets a mutually amicalble out of court settlement amount. Company pays it. Products cost more for you and me.

The "out of court settlement amount" could quite easily be nothing more than a new laptop, a new table (sounds like the other one was torched pretty badly) and not much more than that.

There are people who want nothing more than to be compensated for what they've lost, and no more.

There are also always those looking to make a buck....

-Kevin

Again, what evidence do you have that supports this? You've jumped to this conclusion without any evidence. You know, it "might" have been a legitimate malfunction.

Nope. You'd keep it and let the opposing side see it during what's called the "discovery" period. A 3rd party's observations only mean anything if the evidence/event can no longer be observed.

The path this guy took indicates he didn't intend to file a lawsuit.

Dave

I know all about discovery. Most don't plan a suit, they plan a settlement.

If you did, then you'd know that most settlements occur during or after discovery. Again, this person wouldn't replace OR repair evidence if he planned on going for a settlement.

And you still haven't answered the question: What evidence makes you think this person planned to file suit?

Dave