Amazon Heated Socks Lawsuit Claims Defective Battery Combusted Resulting in House Fire

Lawsuit alleges a defective battery sold with HokyoGin heated socks and gloves spontaneously combusted, leading to more than $300,000 in damage to a Wisconsin home.

An insurance company has filed an Amazon heated socks lawsuit alleging a defective battery sold with electric heated clothing spontaneously combusted, causing a house fire that resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by American Family Insurance Company in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin on July 7, naming Amazon.com Inc. as the sole defendant.

The filing seeks to recover money American Family paid to a Wisconsin homeowner for fire damage allegedly caused by a defective battery pouch included with HokyoGin electric heated socks and gloves purchased through Amazon.

Heated Socks Battery Fire Risks

Heated socks, gloves, blankets and insoles are battery-powered products designed to provide warmth in cold weather or during outdoor activities. Many use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries connected to heating elements embedded in fabric or cushioning materials.

However, lithium-ion batteries can pose serious fire risks if they are defectively designed, improperly manufactured, damaged or sold without adequate safeguards. Problems involving the battery cells, wiring, charging components or temperature controls may cause the products to overheat, ignite or spontaneously combust, potentially resulting in house fires, property damage or severe burn injuries.

Lawsuits filed over heated products sold on Amazon have raised similar concerns involving battery-powered warming devices, including heated socks, heated blankets and heated insoles. The claims generally allege that consumers were exposed to fire and burn risks because the products were sold without adequate testing, quality controls or warnings.

When battery failures cause fires or direct contact with overheated products, consumers may suffer second- and third-degree burns, requiring surgical debridement or other treatment. As reports continue to emerge, heated insole lawsuits and other Amazon product liability claims are being pursued over allegations that dangerous warming devices were sold despite the risk of severe injuries and property damage.

Amazon Heated Socks Lawsuit

According to the complaint, Gordon Totten purchased HokyoGin electric heated socks and electric heated gloves through Amazon on October 24, 2021. Nearly two years later, on June 25, 2023, a battery pouch included with the products allegedly spontaneously combusted inside Totten’s West Bend, Wisconsin, home, starting a fire.

The lawsuit indicates the blaze caused extensive damage to the house and personal property. At the time of the fire, Totten’s home was insured by American Family, which paid for the losses under his homeowners insurance policy.

As a result, the insurer is pursuing the product liability lawsuit against Amazon through a process known as subrogation, which allows an insurance company to seek reimbursement from a party allegedly responsible for losses it paid on behalf of a policyholder.

The lawsuit alleges the battery contained a manufacturing defect that caused it to depart from its intended design and rendered the product unreasonably dangerous when used as expected.

American Family maintains the defect existed before the battery left the manufacturer’s control and that the product reached Totten without any substantial changes to its condition.

The complaint also seeks to hold Amazon responsible for the fire, alleging the online retailer was part of the battery’s chain of distribution because it sold and transferred the product to Totten in the ordinary course of business.

According to the lawsuit, the battery manufacturer is located outside the United States and has no domestic presence, making it unlikely that American Family could enforce a judgment against the company or its insurer.

“The battery pouch was, at the time Amazon sold it to Totten, in a defective condition unreasonably dangerous when put to a reasonably anticipated use. Specifically, it contained a manufacturing defect. It departed from its intended design even though all possible care was exercised in the manufacture of the product.”

— American Family Insurance Company v. Amazon.com Inc.

The complaint raises allegations of product liability against Amazon and seeks more than $300,000 in damages, as well as interest, costs and other relief.

Heated Insole Injury Lawsuits

With reports of fires and burn injuries involving electric socks, heated insoles and other heated clothing devices continuing to increase, heated insole injury attorneys are investigating potential claims for consumers nationwide. The investigations involve allegations that battery-powered products overheated, caught fire or otherwise failed during normal use, resulting in serious injuries such as:

• Burns to the feet or toes
• Heated insole overheating, igniting or catching fire during normal use
• Emergency medical treatment or hospitalization for burn injuries
• Surgery or skin grafts related to foot burns
• Ongoing pain, scarring or mobility limitations

Heated footwear lawsuits seek to hold manufacturers and retailers, including online marketplaces like Amazon, responsible for allegedly selling dangerous products without adequate testing, safety features or warnings about the risk of serious injuries.

All claims are handled on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront costs or attorney fees unless compensation is recovered.

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