iPod Hearing Loss Lawsuit

Here is a real gem. A Louisiana man is attempting a class-action lawsuit against Apple claiming that the iPod is inherently defective and not sufficiently labeled with warnings regarding the potential for hearing loss. Of course this noble man is not in it for the money, he is merely concerned for the well-being of music lovers and he even stated that he was not certain if he had suffered any hearing loss as a result of using the iPod he purchased last year.

So what we have here is yet another yahoo needing attention and trying to bring some meaning to his seemingly pointless life.

My son has an iPod Nano and in the packaging and literature that came with it, Apple did include warnings advising people to use caution when listening to music. This was more than sufficient for me. I do not see a need for further labeling or modifications to the iPod line just because some idiot got bored and decided to file a lawsuit.

It is a no-brainer. Music player makes noise, loud noise damages hearing. Music player has volume control. Consumer has free will. Connect the dots. Common sense will prevent the average person from listening to an iPod or any other music player at a level which would damage their hearing. Of course there are ignorant people who know better but will still blast music into their ears but again, that is their choice. It is not for some jerkwater in Louisiana to waste the valuable time and docket space of the courts in such a frivolous manner.

Think about it, he claims the iPod needs modifications and additional labeling because it is currently defective because at maximum volume it an exceed 115 decibels which is enough to cause damage after 28 seconds of exposure. But 115 decibels is pretty intense and not many people will sit there and crank it up to full volume.

Why not a lawsuit against pencil makers? After all, it is possible to damage your hearing or sight by sticking a pencil in your ear or eye but I do not see a call for warning labels on a pencil. And anyone can walk into a store and buy a set of shoelaces, which can cause strangulation of tied around a persons neck. Again, not many warning labels on shoelaces and I think that even minors can purchase them.

Stick to common sense, it is one of the best safety tools anyone can use. By the way, the humanitarian who is bringing the suit against Apple is named John Kiel Patterson. Maybe someone out there can nominate him for the Nobel Prize next year.

Apple

iPod