Lawsuit Says Defective Lithium-Ion Battery Caused Revvl Phone to Explode

A Metro by T-Mobile Revvl cell phone exploded in a customer’s hand, resulting in severe burns, alleges a Monday complaint (docket 23PS-cv-01314) in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Plaintiff Fernando Castillo, a Los Angeles County resident, was walking with his cell phone in his pocket in April 2021 when he noticed the light from the phone’s flashlight shining through his pocket, said the complaint. When he took the phone from his pocket it caught fire and the battery exploded while in his hand, resulting in “severe burns” on his right hand, it said. Castillo went to Montclair Hospital Medical Center, where he was treated for second-degree burns and other injuries, he said. The complaint references a 2017 recall advising that Revvl cellular phones were defective and Castillo believes the burn injuries are in part a result of his phone’s defective lithium-ion battery. Castillo is experiencing “debilitating symptoms” on his injured hand, lost the ability to do daily tasks and has continuous emotional distress about potential medical treatments, surgeries and nerve damage, he said. Castillo is suing defendant T-Mobile for negligence, product liability and breach of warranty. He seeks general and punitive damages, plus damages for medical expenses, loss of earnings and loss of earnings capacity, the complaint said.