On Wednesday, Matt and Veronica Horn filed a lawsuit against LG Electronics, Hisense, and Home Depot in U.S. District Court in Maine for liability, negligence, and breach of warranty. The family is suing the two major electronics companies, and the national retail chain after a portable air conditioner caught fire: burning down their lake house and killing their two dogs three years ago.
In the official complaint, a forensic examination found that the house fire was started by the air conditioner. Specifically, the overload protector was defective (a part of the compressor meant to prevent an electrical overload). Without a functioning protector, an air conditioner can overheat and ignite. According to the couple’s complaint, LG Electronics and Hisense knew that the particular air conditioner model the Horns purchased at Home Depot possessed this defective overload protector.
Garmey Law attorney Alexis Chardon said the couple is seeking more than $75,000 in damages for sustained injuries and trauma. “The family watched as their beloved house burned to the ground, knowing their dogs were burning alive,” the lawsuit states.
“My clients are very ready for their day in court and are looking forward to it,” Chardon said.
Read the full report in the Bangor Daily News.
