Rachel Withers has filed a lawsuit against Fitbit, LLC, alleging that the company’s smartwatch caused her severe injuries. The complaint was lodged in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, on September 8, 2025. Withers claims that the Fitbit Sense smartwatch is defectively designed and manufactured, leading to burns and permanent scarring on her wrist.
The plaintiff, Rachel Withers, resides in King County, Washington. She purchased a Fitbit Sense smartwatch from Fitbit’s website on March 6, 2022. The following day she received confirmation of shipment from Fitbit. However, on July 17, 2024, while preparing for bed with the watch on her wrist, she heard a “pop sound” followed by sizzling noises and experienced intense burning pain. This incident resulted in partial thickness burns and permanent scarring. Withers asserts that Fitbit was aware or should have been aware of similar defects due to prior consumer complaints and lawsuits related to their products.
Withers’ lawsuit accuses Fitbit of negligence and strict liability under several legal theories: defective product design and manufacturing, failure to warn consumers about potential hazards, and misrepresentation regarding the safety of their products. The complaint states that the smartwatch was marketed as safe for continuous use but failed to meet those standards due to its propensity to cause burns during normal operation. As such, Withers seeks general damages for pain and suffering, special damages for medical expenses and loss of earnings, interest from the date of injury until judgment is rendered, court costs incurred during litigation proceedings—and any additional relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Rachel Withers are attorneys James F. Hayes and Jillian F. Hayes from Hayes Law APC based in San Diego. The case has been assigned Case ID CGC-25-628916 in front of Judge Shenequa Gladney at the Superior Court located within San Francisco County.
Source: CGC25628916_Rachel_Withers_v_Fitbit_Complaint_County_of_San_Francisco_California.pdf
