E-Cigarette Explosions
E-cigarette batteries squeeze volatile chemicals into a small and tight package. When that package ruptures or the battery shorts out, those chemicals might erupt with an explosive force that can cause serious injuries.
If you have suffered injuries from an exploding battery, the defective product attorneys at Chaffin Luhana have the technical knowledge and experience to represent you in an e-cigarette lawsuit to recover the maximum amount of compensation that may be available to you.
E-Cigarette Explosion Injury Data
The injuries that e-cigarette users have experienced reveal that the batteries in these products present an explosion risk not only when the product is being used, but also at other times, including when a user is just carrying or transporting an e-cigarette. Consider, for example:
- Between 2015 and 2017, more than 2,000 individuals were hospitalized due to burns and other injuries from exploding e-cigarettes, representing a 40-fold increase from the previous 6-year period.
- A majority of injuries occurred to upper legs when batteries in e-cigarette devices exploded in a user’s pocket.
- Among the more extreme reports of losses and injuries due to e-cigarette explosions are– a man’s truck that was totaled when an e-cigarette device exploded in the truck’s cup holder, a city bus that needed an emergency evacuation after a user’s device detonated and multiple house fires that were ignited by explosions.
Reducing E-Cigarette Explosion Risks
The majority of e-cigarette explosions occur when the device’s lithium-ion battery overheats due to a short or some other external influence. Users can prevent battery overheating with a few simple practices:
- Do not store e-cigarette devices in vehicles or any other closed-in space;
- Do not use lithium-ion batteries that are not compatible with your e-cigarette device;
- Avoid aftermarket modifications that can alter an e-cigarette’s electronic systems;
- Keep lithium-ion batteries away from metals, such as coins, and other conductors which can cause shorts;
- Store batteries away from direct sunlight and other heat sources;
- Replace old batteries periodically, and avoid overcharging that can lead to heat buildup.
Treating E-Cigarette Explosion Injuries
Get medical attention as soon as possible after you have suffered injuries from an exploding e-cigarette, even if you think your injuries are minor. Battery acids and other volatile chemicals can cause injuries that are not immediately apparent, and what first appears to be a minor injury can quickly evolve into a more serious problem.
After attending to your injuries, gather and record information about the circumstances surrounding the explosion, for example:
- How old was the device that exploded?
- Where did you purchase it?
- Did you modify it in any way or replace its original battery?
- Under what conditions was the e-cigarette stored?
- How often did you use the device before it exploded?
- Were you able to save or recover any portions of the device after the explosion?
Keep track of all of your medical and other expenses after the explosion, including transportation to and from hospitals and doctors’ offices, lost wages if you need to miss work while you recuperate from injuries, and the costs of any of your possessions that might have been destroyed by the explosion.
Call Chaffin Luhana to File an E-Cigarette Explosion Lawsuit
Chaffin Luhana’s product liability lawyers understand the sophisticated technology that is packed into an e-cigarette device, and how flaws in that technology can lead to catastrophic failure, property damages, and serious injuries. We also have the knowledge and experience to sort through the chain of manufacturers and retailers that make and sell those devices to determine which party bears liability for the defects that caused those injuries.
Please see our website or call Chaffin Luhana’s Pittsburgh offices to speak with an e-cigarette device lawyer who will fight to recover the largest possible damages award to compensate you for your losses and injuries.
Additional Resources:
- 1. medpagetoday.c.om: E-Cigarette Injuries Drastically understated. https://www.medpagetoday.com/pulmonology/smoking/75535
- 2.no-smoke.org: E-Cigarette Explosions and Fires. https://no-smoke.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/E-Cigarette-Explosions-and-Fires.pdf