Your INIU Power Bank Could Catch Fire and the Company May Have Known

A class action lawsuit filed in February 2026 accuses INIU International Corp. and its Chinese manufacturer of selling power banks with a dangerous lithium-ion battery defect that can cause fires and explosions — and staying silent about it. The case follows a December 2025 CPSC recall of 210,000 INIU units and covers potentially millions of additional devices left off that recall list. No settlement exists yet. If you bought any INIU power bank on Amazon, here is what you need to know.

Quick Facts

Field	Detail
Defendants	INIU International Corp. (Ontario, Canada); Shenzhen Topstar Industry Co. Ltd. (China)
Case Name	Gregory Steinsultz v. INIU International Corp. et al
Court	U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois
Filed	February 3, 2026
Settlement Amount	TBD — no settlement reached
Claim Deadline	TBD — litigation phase only
Who May Qualify	U.S. consumers who purchased any INIU power bank on Amazon
CPSC Recall Date	December 5, 2025
Units Recalled	~210,000 (model BI-B41 only)
Lawsuit Status	Active — class certification pending

Where This Case Stands Right Now

• The lawsuit is in early litigation. No trial date or settlement has been announced.
• Attorneys are seeking to certify two plaintiff classes: a nationwide class of all INIU power bank purchasers and a separate class of Illinois buyers.
• The CPSC recall of the BI-B41 model remains active — if you own that model, stop using it immediately and register for a refund at iniushop.com/pages/recall-b41.

A Power Bank Set a Car on Fire — Then the Recall Didn’t Cover That Model

On October 18, 2025, Gregory Steinsultz of Carterville, Illinois, says his INIU BI-B43 power bank — sitting quietly inside his parked vehicle — erupted into flames, sending out loud popping noises, fire, and toxic smoke. Firefighters responded to extinguish the blaze. His car sustained significant property damage.

The lawsuit argues that the same defect that triggered fires in the recalled BI-B41 model also exists in a far broader range of INIU products that remain on the market or in consumers’ possession. That argument is the engine of the entire case: if the internal components are effectively identical across models, the December 2025 recall was far too narrow.

Steinsultz claims that numerous INIU power bank models share identical internal components, circuitry, and lithium-ion battery design, differing only in external appearance. Filed by the Chicago law firm Stephan Zouras on February 3, 2026, the complaint names INIU International Corp. and Shenzhen Topstar Industry Co. — the Canadian seller and the Chinese manufacturer — as defendants. Amazon is not named.

Related article: Amazon Collected Sales Tax on Florida Baby Products That Are Supposed to Be Tax-Free

The Defect Isn’t a Fluke — It’s Called Thermal Runaway, and INIU Allegedly Knew

The core technical claim centers on a process called thermal runaway — a chain reaction inside a lithium-ion battery cell where heat builds on itself uncontrollably until the battery ignites or explodes. When batteries malfunction due to poor design or manufacturing, they can overheat and enter a thermal runaway state, triggering fires or explosions.

The complaint indicates that INIU and its manufacturing partner were aware or should have been aware of these risks, yet continued to market the products as safe. The CPSC had already documented the problem before the recall: INIU received 15 reports of power banks overheating, including 11 reports of fires that resulted in three minor burn injuries and property damage totaling over $380,000.

Plaintiffs assert the companies should be made to pay for allegedly marketing the power banks as “safe and effective for their intended use,” when the products allegedly suffered from dangers of overheating, combustion, and explosions. The legal claims include consumer fraud, deceptive marketing, failure to warn, design and manufacturing defects, breach of implied warranty, and violations of Illinois consumer protection law.

You Bought an INIU Power Bank on Amazon — Do You Have a Claim?

Because no settlement exists yet, there is no claim form to fill out today. But attorneys are actively building the class and want to hear from consumers who purchased any INIU power bank. Here is who the lawsuit aims to represent:

• You may qualify if you purchased any INIU-branded power bank on Amazon.com or through any other retailer.
• You may qualify even if your specific model was not included in the December 2025 CPSC recall — the lawsuit argues the defect spans the entire product line.
• You may qualify if your device overheated, caught fire, expanded or swelled, or caused property damage.
• You may qualify as an Illinois resident under the separate Illinois subclass, which may carry additional statutory damages.
• You may qualify even if your device has not yet malfunctioned — the lawsuit seeks compensation for the purchase of an allegedly defective product, not just for people who experienced a fire.

If your model was recalled (BI-B41, serial numbers 000G21, 000H21, 000I21, or 000L21), stop using it immediately and register for a refund at iniushop.com/pages/recall-b41 regardless of this lawsuit.

What Consumers Who Experienced a Fire Could Recover

Because this case is still in litigation, no payout amounts have been confirmed. The complaint asks the court for the following:

Compensatory damages — covering the actual financial losses consumers suffered, including property damage, injury-related costs, and the purchase price of a defective product.

Statutory and punitive damages — Illinois consumer protection statutes can multiply damages beyond actual losses when a company’s conduct is found to be intentional or reckless. The lawsuit requests both.

Injunctive relief — plaintiffs want the court to force INIU to change how it markets, tests, and warns consumers about its power banks going forward.

Attorney fees — standard in class action consumer protection cases; paid from any recovery, not out-of-pocket by class members.

Actual payouts per person will depend entirely on how the case resolves — settlement, court judgment, or dismissal. Anyone claiming personal injury or major property damage should consult an attorney independently, as individual lawsuits may yield higher recoveries than a class settlement.

From Fire to Federal Courthouse — The INIU Timeline

Event	Date
INIU BI-B41 sold on Amazon	August 2021 – April 2022
Steinsultz’s BI-B43 purchased	December 2024
Steinsultz’s car fire incident	October 18, 2025
CPSC recall of ~210,000 BI-B41 units	December 5, 2025
Class action lawsuit filed	February 3, 2026
Class certification hearing	TBD
Settlement or trial	TBD

Frequently Asked Questions

I bought an INIU power bank but it hasn’t caught fire. Can I still be part of this lawsuit? 

Yes, potentially. The lawsuit alleges that all affected models are defective from the moment of purchase — meaning consumers overpaid for a product that was never as safe as advertised. You do not need to have experienced a fire to be included in the class. Attorneys are currently seeking class certification that would cover all purchasers.

My model wasn’t in the December 2025 recall. Does this lawsuit still apply to me?

 That is exactly the point of the case. The lead plaintiff’s model, the BI-B43, was also not in the recall — but his car still caught fire. The complaint argues that because all INIU models share the same internal battery design and components, the recall should have been broader. If that argument succeeds in court, coverage could extend to millions of devices.

Do I need a lawyer to participate in this class action? 

Not immediately. If a class is certified and a settlement is reached, you will receive notice and can file a claim without hiring your own attorney. Class counsel at Stephan Zouras represents the class. However, if you suffered significant personal injury or property damage, consulting your own attorney about an individual lawsuit is worth considering.

Is this settlement legitimate? 

The class action itself is a real federal court filing — Steinsultz v. INIU International Corp. et al, filed February 3, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. The CPSC recall is confirmed at cpsc.gov. No settlement administrator or claim website exists yet — any site claiming to process INIU claims right now is not official.

When will I receive any payment?

 There is no timeline yet. Class certification alone can take a year or more. If a settlement is eventually reached, payments typically follow final court approval, which adds additional months. This is a long-term legal process. Sign up for updates from class counsel or check court records for developments.

What if I was burned or injured by my INIU power bank? 

Contact a personal injury or product liability attorney immediately. Burn injuries from defective products carry different legal rights than a consumer overpayment claim, and an individual lawsuit may result in far greater compensation than a class settlement. Do not wait for this class action to resolve before exploring your individual options.

Will INIU’s recall refund cover my losses? 

The recall offers a full refund of the original purchase price — about $18 — for BI-B41 owners. It does not cover property damage, medical bills, or pain and suffering. The class action lawsuit is seeking to go well beyond the recall refund for anyone harmed or who bought an allegedly defective device.

Sources & References

1. CPSC official recall notice (December 5, 2025): cpsc.gov/Recalls/2026/INIU-Recalls-Power-Banks
2. INIU official recall registration page: iniushop.com/pages/recall-b41

Last Updated: April 2, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.