A lawsuit accusing Amazon of acting as the distributor of a dangerously defective heating pad has been quietly resolved, closing a case that centered on allegations of severe burn injuries and questions over responsibility for products sold by third-party vendors.
Court records show that Khadija Karim, a Pennsylvania woman who said she suffered serious burns from a heating pad purchased through Amazon, reached a confidential Amazon Heating Pad Settlement on Dec. 17. The agreement came just weeks before the case was set to go to trial.
The lawsuit had been filed earlier this year in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, naming Amazon.com as the sole defendant.
Alleged Burns From Overheating Device
Karim alleged she sustained second-degree burns after a heating pad sold on Amazon overheated during normal use and could not be removed from her body. Heating pads are widely marketed to relieve muscle pain and stiffness, but when they malfunction, they can pose serious risks, including burns, electric shock and fire.
According to the complaint, Karim purchased the heating pad through Amazon and first used it in April 2023. She said the product arrived without instructions or safety warnings. After allowing it to warm for several minutes, she fastened it around her abdomen using an attached buckle.
Soon afterward, Karim claimed the pad became dangerously hot. When she tried to remove it, the buckle allegedly failed, leaving the device strapped to her body as it continued to overheat.
