LANCASTER – A plaintiff’s lawsuit against a pair of residential building product manufacturers, claiming their defective dehumidifier caused more than $50,000 worth of damages in a property fire, continues after being reinstated by plaintiff counsel six times.
Apart from the initial assignment of the case to Judge Jeffrey D. Wright on Feb. 2, 2017, six separate reinstatements of Ethel Walls’ litigation (on May 26, Aug. 28, Aug. 30 and Dec. 9, 2017, Aug. 29, 2018 and June 27 of this year) have been the only activity on the case docket.
Walls, of Lititz, initially filed suit in the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas on Jan. 30, 2017, against Soleus International, Inc. and Gree USA, Inc. both of City of Industry, Calif.
“On Dec. 17, 2015, a fire occurred at the property owned by Walls. The fire was caused by a failure of the thermal protection assembly of the dehumidifier designed, manufactured, assembled, distributed and/or sold by defendants. The dehumidifier failed during its normal course of use, causing the fire of Dec. 17, 2015 at the Walls property,” the lawsuit said.
“As a direct and proximate result of the fire, Walls sustained fire damages to the dwelling, personal property and other fire-related expenses in excess of $57,028.48,” the lawsuit added.
The plaintiff said the defendants’ negligence, defective design in manufacturing the dehumidifier, breach of warranty and strict liability to warn customers of the hazards associated with the device are directly responsible for the fire-related damages the dehumidifier allegedly caused.
For counts of negligence, defective design and manufacture, breach of warranty and strict liability, the plaintiff is seeking damages in excess of $57,028.48, plus interest, costs and other relief.
The plaintiff is represented by Jesse M. Cohen of Sacks Weston Diamond, in Philadelphia.
The defendants have not secured legal counsel, according to court records.
Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas case CI-17-00724
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nick.malfitano@therecordinc.com