Walmart Onn tablets class action overview:
- Who: Two Walmart customers, Tiffine Hansbrough and Shawn Kirchner, are suing the retail giant.
- Why: Hansbrough and Kirchner allege that Walmart sold defective touchscreen tablets under its Onn brand.
- Where: The Walmart class action was filed in an Arkansas federal court.
Customers have hit Walmart with a new class action lawsuit that accuses the retail giant of selling defective touchscreen tablets under its private label brand, Onn.
Plaintiffs Tiffine Hansbrough and Shawn Kirchner filed the class action complaint against
Walmart Inc. on Oct. 9 in an Arkansas federal court, alleging violations of state and federal consumer laws.
According to the lawsuit, Walmart knowingly concealed a defect affecting its Onn Surf and Pro tablets, sold from 2019 to 2022, which causes their screens to “crack and malfunction” under normal use.
Hansbrough and Kirchner’s lawsuit claims that the tablets’ screens are prone to breaking, developing black patches of dead pixels, and ceasing to function.
These issues reportedly occur even when the devices are handled gently, such as when placing them into or removing them from a protective case. According to the Walmart class action lawsuit, the display problems often make the devices unusable, frequently within the warranty period.
Walmart knew of tablet screen issue, refused to address it, class action claims
The plaintiffs allege that Walmart has been aware of this issue for years, but has consistently refused to offer free repairs, replacements, or refunds to customers who encounter the defect.
“Despite knowing about the issue, Walmart has repeatedly failed to take responsibility for these faulty devices,” the plaintiffs say. “This has left many customers stuck with unusable tablets and out-of-pocket expenses.”
Walmart has not only refused to address the screen defect but also failed to warn consumers about it, the plaintiffs claim. They say Walmart did not disclose the defect on its website or in stores, depriving customers of the opportunity to make informed purchasing decisions. They also say Walmart withheld crucial testing and warranty data that would have alerted potential buyers to the problem before they bought the tablets.
“Many customers assumed they were buying reliable tablets at an affordable price, only to discover costly defects,” the lawsuit claims.
As a result, the plaintiffs are looking to represent all California and Massachusetts consumers who bought the allegedly faulty Walmart Onn tablets. They’re suing for breach of implied and express warranties, fraudulent misrepresentation, breach of state consumer laws and unjust enrichment. They’re seeking certification of the class action, damages, fees, costs and a jury trial.
Last year, a consumer hit Walmart with a separate class action lawsuit over its Onn touchscreen tablet computers, alleging the 2019, 2020 and 2021 Onn Surf and Pro tablets are prone to cracking and develop “dead pixels” or cease functioning with normal pressure.
What do you think of the allegations in this Walmart class action? Let us know in the comments.
The plaintiffs are represented by Allen Carney and Randall K. Pulliam of Carney Bates & Pulliam PLLC and Jason S. Rathod of Migliaccio & Rathod LLP
The Walmart Onn tablets class action lawsuit is Tiffine Hansbrough et al., v. Walmart Inc., Case No. 5:24-cv-05214-TLB in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas.
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