Amazon Sued Over Kindle Protective Case Issues

When you buy a protective case for a device like your iPhone, laptop or in this case your Kindle you typically expect it to, well protect. In the case of Matthew Geise, who recently shelled over an extra $30 for a protective cover wife's ebook reader the case actually did more harm than good. Just 3 months after his purchase Geise's Kindle started cracking where the cover fastens via its metal clips.

According to the Seattle Times Geise has filed a federal class action lawsuit seeking more than $5 million in refunds, treble damages, and legal costs, related to what he claims an Amazon rep told him is a common problem. Geise was told that he'd have to pay $200 to fix his new $359 Kindle.

Brier Dudley, the Seattle Time reporter who wrote the story, doesn't specify the exact case model, but it appears likely that Geise is referring to the $30 leather cover that Amazon offers immediately under the Kindle's "Add to Shopping Cart" button. The product has a 4.5-star customer rating, but on the low end, complaints of cracking abound.