Apple Hit With Class-Action Lawsuit Over Failing 27" iMac Displays

[MacRumors]

An Idaho man is suing Apple under California's consumer protection laws because the display on his 27-inch iMac failed 18 months after he bought it -- notably outside the twelve-month standard warranty period, reports GigaOm.

The suit, which refers to a 321-page thread on the Apple Support Community as well as a post on TechCrunch from 2009, asks for more than $5 million in class-action damages and seeks to represent every Apple customer that purchased a 27-inch iMac with an LG display before December 2012.

In a complaint filed last week in San Jose, aspiring music teacher Corbin Rasmussen says he thought the iMac was expensive but, relying on Apple's claims that is was "designed for a long productive life," saved up to buy one to use as a home computer and media center,

Rasmussen claims that, after 50 percent of the screen went dim, the iMac became nearly useless for watching movies and made basic web browsing difficult. He complained to Apple, which told him a repair would cost more than $500 since the defect arose after the product's one year warranty expired.

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Article Link: Apple Hit With Class-Action Lawsuit Over Failing 27" iMac Displays

 

[bmunge]

Sucks for him, but I don't see how he has a case given that it's outside of the warranty period.

 

[Nunyabinez]

So Apple's reputation for quality is now being used against them. Got it.

 

[segalas]

He should have purchased Applecare.

 

[d0nK]

Hence the reason for consumer law in the UK.
One year warranty is not good enough.
Simple.

 

[ranasjsu]

5 Mil?

5 Million $ for what? This is ridiculous.
Why not just take his Screen back and give back his money?

 

[illegalprelude]

I see how purchasing a $2,000 equals to a $5,000,000 reward. Times like this, I hope Apple lawyers burry the guy

 

[antseg]

Watch the settlement end up netting each claimant $485 for repairs.

 

[Philoman]

Complaints are necessary and good for quality control.

 

[Patriks7]

I'm not sure I understand US laws, on what grounds is he suing?

 

[kpac]

Considering there is a 320 + pages thread about (what I presume to be) a similar problem with this particular LG panel, my guest is that he has a case...

 

[PlutoPrime]

I had the same problem as this dude, with the same generation iMac, but Apple replaced my screen free of charge because (per the Apple employee explanation) the failure was a type of failure that was not supposed to happen in the product's lifetime (regardless of warranty status).

 

[roadbloc]

What is the relevance of the lemon?

 

[ranasjsu]

I'm not sure I understand US laws, on what grounds is he suing?

just trying to make money and never work again. Pathetic

 

[TBone1098]

He just wants the money to buy a new iMac.

 

[madcran]

Thats why AppleCare exists. While Apple does have the smallest number of issues with their products versus other PC manufacturers, it does not mean they are all going to last forever. It is still built with consumer electronics that are manufactured by other companies. You take a chance when you do not buy AppleCare.

 

[sp3k0psv3t]

Is this guy joking? That stinks his monitor is not working well but it is well past the warranty period.

The A/C on my 4 year old car isn't blowing as cold now as it used to when new - guess I should sue BMW for 10 million lol.

America and these law suit laws seriously need an overhaul so frivolousness can be cut off at the source before tying up court time.

 

[La Porta]

It was outside the warranty period. It is at their discretion to fix it or not, they have no obligation to do so once the warranty is up.

 

[oopl]

I'm glad I didn't have to deal with this issue.
I do agree that 1 year warranty is not enough.
Step up the consumer protection laws U.S.

 

[BMcCoy]

Hence the reason for consumer law in the UK.
One year warranty is not good enough.
Simple.

Yup.

We have the Sale Of Goods Act in the UK, which ensures consumer products must be fit for purpose, and last a reasonable length of time, which is usually around 5 years for small and medium electricals, including computers.

Very surprised that the US does not have similar legislation.

 

[JeffiJers]

Not that I agree with the guy at all... I do believe there should be laws implemented similar to Europe's with consumer electronics.

Sure parts deteriorate etc. But known issues such are failure's and for example Image retention should not be put on the customer to pay the bill.

my 2cents.

edit: look a post above mine haha

 

[La Porta]

What is the relevance of the lemon?

A lemon is a product that is so broken when it is new that it is practically unusable. There are so-called "lemon laws" to protect consumers from new cars that are practically falling apart.

 

[davidec]

This guy is a fame seeker but he is within his statutory rights to expect this kind of product to last for years.

 

[Crunch]

Watch the settlement end up netting each claimant $485 for repairs.

Yea, but the lawyers will end up with tens of millions. Each.

 

[Andrew Kelly]

Australia Law

I had the exact same problem recently. However we have greater consumer law protection in Australia which meant that Apple had to fix the screen for free even though the warranty had expired 6 months before the problem arose.