Honeywell Settlement Being Negotiated in Humidifier Class Actions

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Honeywell and a group of consumers are attempting to settle class action lawsuits alleging defects caused Honeywell’s TrueSTEAM humidifiers to leak very hot water. The parties asked a Pennsylvania federal court last week to postpone deadlines while they worked out an agreement.

Several consumers hit Honeywell with class action lawsuits alleging the TrueSTEAM humidifier was defective and caused scalding hot water to leak. The plaintiffs claim that problems occurred well before the humidifier’s five year warranty was up.

A group of affected consumers and Honeywell asked the federal court to stay several court deadlines because “the parties have reached an agreement in principle to settle all of these actions on a class-wide basis nationwide.”

The parties noted that the original defective humidifier class action lawsuit that hit Honeywell in 2014, Leach v. Honeywell, would come before a federal court in Massachusetts.

“Because the Leach action, in Massachusetts, was the first TrueSTEAM case in which a scheduling order was entered and discovery was commenced, the parties anticipate presenting the proposed settlement to the Leach court for preliminary and final approval,” the brief states. “The parties’ expectation is that, following final approval of the settlement, the other pending actions, including this action, will be voluntarily dismissed.”

Class action lawsuits were initiated to represent national, Pennsylvania and New Jersey classes of consumers who purchased the TrueSTEAM humidifier.

The original class action alleged the Honeywell humidifier Charles Leach purchased, leaked and required the plaintiff to set out towels to prevent water from damaging other items. In that class action, the plaintiff further claimed that Honeywell failed to send a replacement part under warranty and the plaintiff was required to pay for an independent repair person to inspect the device.

Leach’s class action lawsuit was trimmed in November of 2014. The judge in that case dismissed claims of negligent misrepresentation as well as breach of implied warranty.

In another class action lawsuit pending in Pennsylvania federal court, the breach of warranty and other claims were upheld by a federal court. Additionally, the court rejected Honeywell’s argument that it fulfilled its obligations under the warranty by requiring purchasers to use a licensed contractor to verify problems with the humidifier.

Three other class action lawsuits are pending in Missouri, Massachusetts and Colorado.

Plaintiffs Robert Burke and Mark Riley are represented by Charles E. Schafer of Levin Fishbein Sedran & Berman, Jordan L. Chaikin of Chaikin Law Firm PLLC, and Jay P. Dinan of Parker Waichman LLP.

Leach is represented by Mirabella Law LLC, Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca LLP, Halunen & Associates, Lockridge Grindal Nauen PLLP and Audet & Partners LLP.

The Honeywell Humidifier Class Action Lawsuits are Robert Burke, et al. v. Honeywell International Inc., Case No. 2:15-cv-01921, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Charles Leach v. Honeywell International Inc., Case No. 1:14-cv-12245, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

UPDATE: The Honeywell’s TrueSTEAM Humidifier class action settlement is now open. Click here to file a claim.