Amazon Coowalk Heated Insoles Lawsuit Alleges Lithium-Ion Battery Explosion Caused Severe Burns

Lawsuit indicates another consumer contacted Amazon from a hospital in December 2023 after allegedly suffering serious burns from the same company’s product.

A Vermont man has filed a product liability lawsuit alleging a Coowalk heated insole purchased through Amazon exploded inside his boot, causing severe partial-thickness burns to his left foot.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Jason Bingham in the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont on September 24, naming Amazon.com Inc., Amazon.com Services LLC and Amazon.com Sales Inc. as defendants.

Bingham claims Amazon knew before his injury that Coowalk heated insoles posed a burn risk, yet failed to remove the products or provide purchasers with timely warnings.

Heated Insoles Burn Risks

Heated insoles are battery-powered devices intended to keep feet warm inside shoes or boots during cold-weather activities. Most use thin heating components built into the footbed and rechargeable lithium-ion batteries to provide sustained warmth while users work, hike or spend long periods outdoors.

Because the heating elements and batteries are enclosed inside footwear and positioned directly against the foot, overheating or battery failures may expose users to intense heat before they can remove the affected shoe or boot.

Safety concerns involving rechargeable heated insoles have surfaced in connection with products sold through Amazon and other online retailers. Reports of overheating, fires and burn injuries have led to safety warnings and recalls, as well as heated insole lawsuits alleging defective products caused serious foot burns.

Coowalk Heated Insoles Injury Allegations

According to the complaint, Bingham was wearing a Coowalk left insole inside his boot on February 17, 2024, when the footbed exploded and overheated, causing partial-thickness and deep partial-thickness burns along the bottom and side of his left foot. He sought emergency care followed by treatment at a specialized burn center.

Bingham claims he continues to experience daily pain and sensitivity, particularly during activities that place pressure on the injured area. As a self-employed carpenter who also performs logging and maple sugaring work, he says the injury has interfered with climbing ladders, prolonged standing and other physically demanding tasks, forcing him to decline jobs and resulting in lost income.

The filing indicates Amazon received actual notice of the hazard in December 2023, roughly two months before Bingham’s injury, when a consumer in Burlington, Ontario, contacted the company from a hospital to report serious injuries from Coowalk heated insoles. That consumer allegedly urged Amazon to remove the listing and notify previous purchasers.

Bingham maintains Amazon nevertheless failed to adequately investigate the reports, suspend sales, quarantine inventory, remove the listing or provide timely warnings to previous purchasers. He claims the insoles remained available through Amazon until at least late 2025 or early 2026.

“As a direct and proximate result of Defendants’ conduct, Plaintiff has suffered and continues to suffer physical pain and discomfort, loss of enjoyment of life, interference with his usual activities, lost income and earnings, and other economic and noneconomic damages.”

— Jason Bingham v. Amazon.com Inc. et al.

The lawsuit raises allegations of strict products liability, negligence, negligent undertaking, breach of implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose, breach of implied warranty of merchantability, breach of express warranty and violation of the Connecticut Consumer Protection Act.

It seeks compensation for past and future medical expenses, physical pain and suffering, emotional distress and mental anguish, permanent scarring, disfigurement, impairment or disability, lost wages and diminished earning capacity and loss of enjoyment of life, as well as exemplary and punitive damages.

Heated Insole Lawsuits

As battery-powered heated insoles have become more widely available, reports have surfaced involving devices that allegedly overheated, ignited or caught fire, including incidents attributed to lithium-ion battery failures and thermal runaway.

Some consumers have reported suffering severe second- and third-degree burns to their feet, with injuries serious enough to require extensive medical treatment, including surgical debridement and skin grafting.

Amid these safety concerns, heated insole injury lawyers are investigating potential claims nationwide for consumers who experienced serious injuries after the devices allegedly malfunctioned during normal use. Reported injuries and complications have included:

• Burns to the feet and toes
• Fires or overheating inside shoes or boots
• Emergency treatment or hospitalization
• Surgical debridement or skin graft procedures
• Persistent pain, scarring or reduced mobility

Foot warmer lawsuits allege manufacturers and sellers placed defective products on the market without adequate testing, safety protections or warnings about the potential for battery failures and serious burn injuries.

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