Blaming Interior Design for Metal Emblem Burns on Car Seats
US Federal Court Has Not Yet Recognized a Design Defect
A well-known German automotive brand, Mercedes-Benz, was involved in an incident where its logo, heated by intense sunlight, left burn marks on a driver’s skin. Two drivers who received what is now being called a “Mercedes brand mark” have filed lawsuits against Mercedes-Benz.
According to foreign media reports such as the Associated Press on August 9 (local time), Gabriel Rahijani and Karen Deep Carinabas, residents of California, recently filed a class-action lawsuit in the federal court of California.
Scarring caused by burns published by one of the authors, Karendip Karinabas. Instagram capture
As Mercedes drivers, they claim that the metal “AMG” emblem attached to the front seat backrest caused burns to their skin. It was determined that the interior metal logo of the car became extremely hot when parked under the sun, leading to these incidents.
Rahijani, who lives in Los Angeles, had been renting and driving a 2026 Mercedes AMG E-Class. On May 31, while wearing a sleeveless shirt, he entered the car and suffered burns on his back where the metal logo touched his skin. After seeing a dermatologist, he was diagnosed with first- to second-degree burns, and an “AMG” logo remained on his skin like a brand mark.
About six weeks later, another driver, Carinabas, experienced a similar incident. She sustained burns on her shoulder, and again, the AMG logo left a mark like a brand.
The two believe that the cause of the accident is the interior design itself, which attaches a metal logo to the seat. They argue that Mercedes should compensate for all damages, including medical expenses, mental distress, and repair costs for the vehicle defect.
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However, the case is still in the stage of the plaintiffs’ claims, and the court has not yet determined whether there is an actual design defect in the vehicle or whether Mercedes-Benz holds responsibility. According to the Associated Press, Mercedes’ official position has not yet been released.
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