Kindle cover stokes another lawsuit

 

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By Reuters

Posted on 16 Jul 2009 at 09:50

Amazon is being sued by a Kindle customer who claims the device's cover, which is sold separately, can break the screen and make the device inoperable.

The lawsuit, filed in the Western District of Washington, where Amazon is based, claims the covers designed and sold by Amazon to protect the device often end up cracking the Kindle screens due to pressure on the hinge.

The plaintiff alleges that a customer service supervisor at Amazon acknowledged that such cracking was a "common problem" but would not be covered by a warranty. Geise was instructed to pay $200 for a replacement Kindle, the complaint says.

The complaint also quotes an array of similar consumer complaints and seeks class-action status, which must be approved by a judge.

An Amazon spokesman would not comment on active litigation, though he says the company encourages "anyone who has an issue with the cover attachment mechanism to return the cover and device for a free replacement so we can investigate further."

The lawsuit seeks replacement and funds to repair the broken Kindles as well as additional damages.