E-Cigarette Lawsuits

Were You Injured by an E-Cig After Your Vape Device Exploded?

Lawsuits continue to mount across the country against c-cigarette manufacturers on behalf of consumers who suffered severe and debilitating injuries from the devices. Many of these consumers suffered severe injuries when their devices exploded, including:

• Severe second- and third- degree burns
• Loss of vision
• Finger amputations
• Facial fractures
• Broken bones
• Damage to the lips, teeth, and tongue
• Physical scarring
• Permanent injury

While e-cigs are touted as being safer than cigarettes, many users have found that their vape devices are incredibly dangerous. Since they first started being sold in the U.S. in 2007, hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against vape makers alleging the devices caught fire or exploded inflicting severe injury. Recently, a man in Los Angeles filed a lawsuit after sustaining second- and third- degree burns to his thighs, genitals, and penis when the e-cig battery in his pocket exploded.

Safety and Efficacy is Unknown

Even though these types of devices have been marketed as being safer than regular cigarettes, the FDA has received hundreds of reports of fires and explosions. At first, it was thought that modified devices were exploding, but as more and more consumers suffered fires and explosions. However, it has been determined that the fire is risk is due to the batteries. The FDA warned that the lithium-ion batteries that are used in several devices are actually low-cost batteries imported from China. These batteries, added to the design of most e-cigs, causes the device shoot flames, much like a flaming rocket, the FDA warned.

While these devices remain under FDA scrutiny, the agency issued regulations to increase the safety of the devices. Recently, the FDA determined that e-cig vaping devices should be in the same classification as cigars, cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco. Under this classification, vape makers are not allowed to modify existing devices or introduce new devices to the market until FDA approval is obtained.

Vape Devices Pose Serious Fire and Burn Risks

In 2014, FEMA and the U.S. Fire Administration created a report detailing their findings regarding the e-cig fires and explosions. The report was updated in 2017 to show that between 2009 and 2017, about 195 e-cig explosions and fires were analyzed. Those explosions caused 133 acute injuries. At the time of the explosions, the report says:

• 61 devices were in pockets
• 60 devices were in use
• 48 devices were being charged
• 18 were in storage
• 7 were unknown
• 1 was being transported

The injuries sustained by the victims of these explosions include:

• 38 severe injuries involving hospitalization, loss of body parts, third-degree burns, facial injuries
• 80 moderate injuries involving emergency room treatment, smoke inhalation, second-degree burns, lacerations requiring stitches
• 15 minor injuries involving lacerations, first-degree burns, smoke inhalation

Fire and Explosion Injuries

There is a misconception that e-cig fires and explosions have decreased, but the truth is, far too many consumers continue to suffer serious injuries and devastating burns. One woman spoke out after an e-cig exploded in her lap while she was driving. The woman, 21-year-old Melissa Madsen from Arizona, said she jumped out of her truck to drop and roll and put out the fire. Her truck ran over her hips while she was on the ground, leaving her unable to get up. She wasn’t smoking the device at the time.

Another man was at work when he says his e-cig battery caught his pants on fire. His co-workers rushed to put out the flames, and the man was treated for first- and second-degree burns to his hand and thigh.

The New England Journal of Medicine published a study regarding burns from e-cigarettes. The study involved 15 patients who were treated for burns and injuries at Washington University Medical Center after suffering e-cig explosions. Of those patients studied:

• 80 percent suffered flame burns
• 33 percent suffered chemical burns
• 27 percent suffered blast injuries
• 20 percent suffered facial injuries
• 33 percent suffered hand injuries
• 53 percent suffered injury to the groin or thigh.

Some of these injuries included:

• 80 percent suffered flame burns
• 33 percent suffered chemical burns
• 27 percent suffered blast injuries

These injuries required surgical debridement and repair of destroyed tissues, extensive wound care and skin grafts. Any patient who suffers serious injury from an e-cig device explosion has rights, and we defend those rights. Contact us today to learn if you are entitled to seek justice for your injuries.

• Tooth loss
• Traumatic tattooing
• Extensive soft tissue loss

These injuries required surgical debridement and repair of destroyed tissues, extensive wound care and skin grafts. Any patient who suffers serious injury from an e-cig device explosion has rights, and we defend those rights. Contact us today to learn if you are entitled to seek justice for your injuries.

E-Cigs Can Cause Serious Injuries

E-cigs cause more than burn injuries. Recently, the media reported an Idaho man lost 9 teeth when his device exploded. A 21-year-old male suffered severe burns and lung damage when his device exploded and left him in critical condition. A 23-year-old man suffered a neck fracture and burns when his e-cig exploded, and another suffered severe burns to his mouth and face, an amputated finger, and tongue damage. A 29-year-old man suffered severe injury when his device exploded including shattered vertebra, multiple fractures, a broken neck, and shattered teeth. Each of these accidents, and several more occurred during a 10-month period and were analyzed by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). An in depth look at e-cig fires and explosions through 2017 can be found at eCig One.

E-cig users across the nation have suffered severe burn injuries, face and neck damage, amputations, dental damage, and lost their vision, their teeth, finger, and parts of their lips and tongues. This has to stop. If you or someone you love has suffered severe burns or serious injuries from an e-cig device explosion, contact us now. You may be entitled to seek justice for your injuries.

Damaging Fires
The risks of injury and destruction from e-cig fire and explosions is high enough that e-cig vaping devices are not permitted onboard Navy Vessels. According to the Naval Safety Center shows that in about seven months, there were 12 separate vape-related explosions or fires involving Marine or Navy personnel. Seven of the 12 fires broke on a vessel, and two were serious enough that equipment was needed to extinguish them. In eight cases, the device was in a pocket when it exploded, causing the service members to suffer burns. In four cases. In cases, the device was being used when it exploded, and caused service members to sustain injury to their faces and mouths.

Because of the high number of explosions and fires, and the fact that manufacturers are continuing to put dangerous e-cig devices on the market, they have been banned by the U.S. Department of Transportation in any checked baggage for airlines flights. According to the NFPA report, three e-cig explosions were responsible for serious property damage including where the device:

• Protect your skin when handling the products
• Always keep e-cigarettes and liquid nicotine locked up and out of the reach of children
• Follow the specific disposal instructions on the label
• If you think someone has been exposed to an e-cigarette or liquid nicotine, call your local poison center at 1-800-222-1222 immediately

E-cigs and Accidental Poisonings

As if the number of people being injured and suffering property damage isn’t enough, children are also suffering the adverse effects of these devices. The number of young children who are suffering nicotine poisoning has skyrocketed. In fact, CNN reports that the number of children poisoned between 2013 and 2015 jumped 1,500 percent. Unfortunately, at least one death has been reported from accidental e-cig nicotine poisoning. One study suggests that children who are around e-cig devices are more than two-and-a-half times more likely to have severe outcomes than young children that are around regular cigarettes.

How We Can Help

Lawsuits continue to mount across the country as more people are injured by these devices when they explode or catch fire. Manufacturers of these devices market them as safer than regular cigarettes and even as a way to quit smoking, yet these devices continue to seriously injure users.
If you or anyone you know has suffered serious injury from an e-cig explosion or fire, we want to hear from you. We are currently investigating numerous cases involving spontaneous ignition of vaping devices and people suffering severe burns, broken bones, amputations, broken necks, blindness, and dental damage.

For decades for have fought for the rights of consumers who are harmed by products that were marketed and sold as safe. We hold manufacturers responsible for their products, and aggressively defend the rights of those who suffer injury because of product and design defects. We are skilled negotiators and aggressive litigators and we stand ready to fight for you now. Contact us today to learn more about e-cig dangers and if you may be entitled to seek compensation and justice for your injuries and losses.