Data Recovery of 19 GB from a Physically Damaged Samsung Phone in Cleveland, Ohio

Data recovery became the only option for a customer in Cleveland, Ohio, after a simple accident badly damaged their Samsung SM-N975U smartphone. The phone stored years of important data, including photos, videos, scanned documents, and personal notes.

In one unlucky moment, the customer accidentally rolled over the phone and crushed it. As a result, the device stopped working completely. With the phone destroyed and the files trapped inside, the customer contacted WeRecoverData for help.

Severe Damage and No Access to Data

The damage was obvious. The screen shattered, the frame bent, and the phone would not turn on. Even after charging it, nothing happened. The buttons did not respond, and the screen stayed black.

At that point, repair was no longer possible.

Worse still, all 19 GB of data sat on the phone’s internal memory. The device had no memory card, so the customer could not remove storage or connect it to a computer. Like many people, they had not backed up everything to the cloud. Because of that, hundreds of important files suddenly seemed gone for good.

Local repair shops could not help. Therefore, the customer needed a team with advanced experience in severe physical damage cases.

Lab Inspection Reveals a Critical Detail

As soon as the phone arrived at the WeRecoverData lab, our engineers began a full inspection.

Although the motherboard and connectors showed heavy damage, the internal NAND flash memory chip remained intact. This detail changed everything. Even though the phone itself could not work again, the data still had a chance.

Because standard repair methods would not work, our team prepared for a chip-off recovery process.

Chip-Off Recovery from the NAND Memory

First, our engineers carefully removed the NAND flash memory chip from the damaged board. This step required steady hands and strict heat control. Too much heat or pressure could destroy the chip and erase the data forever.

After safely removing the chip, the team placed it into a custom reader. This tool allowed them to pull raw data directly from the memory hardware. Instead of relying on the broken phone, they accessed the data at the chip level.

As a result, they secured a full raw image of the stored information.

Rebuilding the File System

Next, the recovery team began rebuilding the Android file system.

They analyzed the raw binary data and restored the partition structure step by step. Then, they rebuilt folders, file paths, and fragmented data blocks. This careful process allowed them to locate clean, usable files.

Gradually, the customer’s data started to return. Photos appeared first. Soon after, videos, scanned documents, and personal notes followed.

Step by step, the full 19 GB came back.

Full Recovery and Secure Return

In the end, WeRecoverData recovered all 19 GB of data successfully.

We transferred the restored files onto a secure external drive and returned them to the customer. What once felt like a total loss became a complete recovery.

Naturally, the customer felt relieved and thankful. The recovered files included priceless memories and important personal records they thought were lost forever.

Even Crushed Phones Can Still Hold Data

Many people assume a crushed smartphone means permanent data loss. However, that is not always true. In many cases, the memory chip survives even when the rest of the device fails.

Still, chip-off recovery requires:

Advanced micro-soldering skills
Specialized extraction tools
Deep knowledge of NAND memory
Strong file system rebuilding expertise

Without this level of skill and equipment, recovery from a crushed phone is rarely possible.

At WeRecoverData, we do more than fix devices. We help people recover what matters most.

Whether a phone is crushed, water-damaged, or completely dead, our experts have the tools and experience to recover data others cannot.

For this customer in Cleveland, Ohio, a disaster turned into a success story. And for us, it was another reminder of why we do this work—because your data deserves a second chance.