Amazon Heated Electric Gloves Lawsuit Alleges Product Malfunction Caused Severe Burns

Lawsuit claims Amazon failed to ensure the heated electric gloves were safe before allowing them to be sold through its online marketplace.

A California man is pursuing a lawsuit against Amazon.com, indicating it sold defective heated electric gloves through its online store that malfunctioned and severely burned his hands.

The complaint (PDF) was originally filed by Anthony Fergerson in California Superior Court on March 16, naming Amazon.com Inc. as the sole defendant. It was removed to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on October 13.

Fergerson’s claims come amid broader concerns about lithium-ion battery failures in hand warmers and other heated clothing items.

Heated Clothing Concerns

Heated gloves and portable hand warmers are commonly used to keep hands warm during cold weather or while working in freezing temperatures. Many rely on small, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries to generate heat.

However, concerns have emerged in recent years about battery malfunctions that can cause these devices to overheat, catch fire or explode, potentially resulting in serious injuries or death.

In July, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued an Ocoopa hand warmer recall affecting 1.5 million pairs of hand warmers following reports of 15 fires, 35 burn injuries and one death. The safety concerns also led to at least one lawsuit against Amazon.com, where Ocoopa products were sold by a third-party seller.

Similar problems have been reported with other battery-powered heated clothing products, including electric insoles, heated socks and foot warmers, some of which are also sold through Amazon.

A number of heated insole lawsuits allege that defective batteries and inadequate safety features caused the devices to overheat, resulting in severe foot burns that required extensive medical treatment, including surgical debridement and skin grafting.

Heated Glove Injury Allegations

According to the complaint, Fergerson purchased a pair of Feeljuly heated electric gloves and was wearing them in March 2024, when they suddenly overheated on his hands. The burns Fergerson suffered as a result allegedly required hospital and other medical treatments.

The lawsuit accuses Amazon of distributing defective products through its online delivery service, alleging that the company should have insured the products were safe before allowing them to be sold on its website. Fergerson’s complaint calls the gloves unreasonably dangerous.

“As a direct and proximate result of the defects and malfunctions in the Subject Product, the product overheated and/or otherwise failed, causing Plaintiff to sustain severe burns and other serious bodily injuries and damages.”

– Anthony Fergerson v. Amazon.com Inc.

Fergerson raises allegations of general negligence and products liability. He seeks compensatory damages for wage loss, loss of property use, hospital and medical expenses, property damage and loss of earning capacity.

Heated Clothing Lawsuits

In response to these kinds of safety concerns, heated clothing and electric foot warmer injury attorneys are reviewing potential cases throughout the United States. Many involve consumers who suffered serious injuries when electric insoles, foot warmers and other forms of heated clothing allegedly malfunctioned during ordinary use. Reported injuries and complications include:

• Severe burns involving the feet, toes, fingers and hands
• Overheating or fires inside clothing
• Injuries requiring emergency medical care or hospitalization
• Surgical removal of damaged tissue or skin grafts
• Long-term pain, permanent scarring or impaired mobility

Electric clothing and heated insole lawsuits allege manufacturers and retailers sold dangerous products without sufficient safety testing, effective safeguards or adequate warnings about battery malfunctions, overheating and the risk of severe burns.

Amazon has also been named in a number of product liability lawsuits involving defective items sold through its online marketplace. Although many of these products are manufactured by third-party companies, plaintiffs argue Amazon plays a significant role in marketing, selling and distributing them, often handling payments, storage and shipping before the products reach consumers.

This has become particularly important in cases involving imported products sold by overseas manufacturers and sellers, some of which have little or no presence in the U.S. and may be difficult for injured consumers to locate or pursue in court.

As a result, some individuals injured by defective products purchased through Amazon are pursuing claims directly against the online retailer, alleging it bears responsibility for allowing dangerous products to reach consumers.

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