LG Class Action Says Bootloop Defect Harms Owners of G4, V10 Smartphones

Four smartphone owners are taking issue with a bootloop defect that they say renders their LG smartphones useless.

Plaintiffs Meagan Chamberlain, Edward Pistorio, Laura Lane and Rosalene Mullins say that the G4 and V10 smartphones made by defendant LG have a defect that causes them to crash and reboot over and over, without ever completely starting up.

This defect is known as a bootloop defect. LG knows about the bootloop defect but has failed to offer phone owners an adequate remedy, the plaintiffs say.

Plaintiff Chamberlain says her LG V10 failed in October 2016. Because of the LG bootloop defect, it would only show its splash screen without fully booting up. After one repair attempt failed, Chamberlain says T-Mobile then provided her with a replacement V10. But she says she ultimately lost confidence in LG and switched to an iPhone instead.

Plaintiffs Pistorio, Lane and Mullins are each now on their third G4. They claim their original G4s and the replacements they were offered all failed due to the LG bootloop defect. Pistorio says his third G4 still freezes often and can only be revived by removing the battery.

Mullins says that after her second G4 failed, she tried to get LG’s customer service department to offer her either a refund or a functional replacement phone. LG refused to do either, she claims.

The company sent Mullins a third G4. She says this phone often freezes or functions too slowly to be useful. She also says that when phone calls last more than 10 minutes, the phone gets too hot to hold against her ear.

The plaintiffs say LG knows about the defect and in fact has even admitted to it.

Soon after releasing the G4 in April 2016, the company allegedly began receiving complaints and warranty claims from customers alleging the smartphones had been failing. In January 2016, LG publicly stated the defect is related to a “loose contact between components” within its G4 smartphones.

At the same time, LG neglected to offer an adequate remedy to purchasers affected by the LG bootloop defect, according to the plaintiffs. The company allegedly offered no remedy at all for customers whose smartphones failed after their warranty had expired. Smartphones that failed within their warranty period could be exchanged for other units that allegedly had the same defect, plaintiffs say.

These plaintiffs’ claims echo those already raised in another LG bootloop defect class action lawsuit filed in February. Plaintiff Oscar Herrera seeks to represent a Class of V10 owners affected by the LG bootloop defect.

The plaintiffs  in this most recent lawsuit propose to represent a nationwide Class consisting of all persons in the U.S. who purchased an LG G4 or V10 smartphone from LG or its authorized retailers. They also propose three subclasses to represent Class Members from each of the plaintiffs’ home states of California, Washington and Florida.

They are asking for a court-ordered repair program that would fix the LG bootloop defect in all affected phones. They also seek awards of damages, restitution, court costs and attorneys’ fees.

The plaintiffs are represented by Jordan Elias, Daniel C. Girard and Simon S. Grille of Girard Gibbs LLP.

The LG Bootloop Defect Class Action Lawsuit is Meagan Chamberlain, et al. v. LG Electronics USA Inc., et al., Case No. 2:17-cv-02046, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

UPDATE: The LG Bootloop Defect Class Action Lawsuit was dismissed on April 13, 2018 due to the plaintiffs reaching an individual agreement with LG.