On Dec. 4, 2008, a jury ordered a computer parts distributor to pay $247,000 in damages after one of its laptop batteries short-circuited, resulting in a house fire.
In 2006, Rodger Hill was using his Hewlett-Packard laptop computer, which contained a battery distributed by Kahlon Inc., at his home in Southlake when the battery short-circuited.
The computer caught fire and quickly spread to the rest of the house. Hill blamed Kahlon, alleging the battery was defective.
The fire caused thousands of dollars in damage and rendered Hill’s home uninhabitable for a year. He sought $251,000 for property damage, repair costs and loss of use. Kahlon argued the fire was caused by a defect in the laptop, not the battery.
A suit against Hewlett-Packard settled before trial.
Hill v. Kahlon Inc., No. 217446-06
Court: 348th District Court, Tarrant County