Midea Air Conditioner Recall Lawsuit Claims Window Unit Caused Severe Respiratory Illness

Recalled Midea window air conditioners were contaminated with mold, which has caused infections, allergic reactions and persistent coughing, per lawsuit.

A Tennessee couple has filed a lawsuit alleging that a Midea air conditioner sold through Home Depot was defectively designed, allowing moisture to accumulate inside the unit and create mold growth that caused severe respiratory injuries.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Collin Vallatini and Rebecca Vallatini in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey on May 26, naming Midea America Corp., GD Midea Air Conditioning Equipment Co. Ltd., and Home Depot U.S.A Inc. as defendants.

The Vallatinis allege Midea and Home Depot knew or should have known about the design defects that led to the mold issues, and that Midea failed to properly test the product or warn consumers about the mold growth.

Midea Air Conditioner Recall

The Midea air conditioner is intended for installation in a window or wall opening to cool individual rooms. It features a U-shaped design that allows the window to close through the center of the unit, helping to keep the compressor outside and reduce indoor noise.

However, Midea recalled 1.7 million A/C units from the market last year due to mold growth problems caused by pooled water. The recall affected units sold at major retailers including Home Depot, Amazon and Costco.

Since the recall, a number of A/C mold growth product liability lawsuits have been filed nationwide, with many of the claims indicating that users were left with severe respiratory side effects, including infections, allergic reactions and coughing.

A separate class action recall lawsuit was filed following more than 150 reports of mold contamination, including 17 cases of respiratory infections and other severe symptoms.

Midea Air Conditioner Lawsuit

In this recent lawsuit, the Vallatinis allege that they purchased a Midea U-shaped window air conditioner, model MAW08V1QWT, from Home Depot on September 7, 2023.

Although they began using the A/C unit to cool their home, they allege that pooling water in the unit did not drain fast enough, which allowed mold to grow.

The couple claims they began to suffer from severe respiratory issues that required medical treatment. As a result of these issues, they indicate that they experienced disability, mental anguish and the loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life.

The complaint alleges that the A/C unit’s product design was faulty, since it allowed water to pool easily without draining. The defective design is what allegedly led to the mold growth. Furthermore, the Vallatinis claim the company knew or should have known about the design issue, yet failed to warn consumers.

“Specifically, the A/C Unit was unreasonably dangerous and/or defective in that… a reasonably prudent manufacturer would not have put it on the market assuming that manufacturer knew of its dangerous condition.”

— Collin Vallatini et al. v. Midea America Corp. et al.

The complaint presents claims of violation of the New Jersey products liability act, defective design, failure to warn and breach of express warranty. It seeks compensatory damages for pain and suffering, disability, loss of enjoyment of life and attorneys’ fees.

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