Potential Injuries from a Vape Battery Explosion
E-cigarettes and vape pens have grown in popularity over the past ten years. But that popularity has also been accompanied by a growing number of vape battery explosions that have caused serious injuries and several fatalities.
Our defective product lawyers represent individuals in vape explosion and battery lawsuits to recover damages for their injuries. We understand the kinds of injuries that e-cigarette users might suffer if the lithium ion batteries in their devices explode.
Common Injuries and Losses from Vape Battery Explosions
The batteries in e-cigarette devices have the greatest potential to explode when the devices are in use or when they are being charged, or when the battery comes into accidental contact with metal or some other substance that conducts electrical current.
Reports of vape pen explosions illustrate the more common injuries and losses that e-cigarette users have experienced:
- A North Carolina man suffered facial burns and damage to his eyes when an e-cigarette allegedly exploded in his face.
- A Kentucky man suffered second degree burns on his leg when the battery in his e-cigarette allegedly shorted out after it came into contact with change in his pocket.
- A Texas man allegedly suffered a fatal injury when using a “mechanical mod”, which is an unregulated device that runs directly off of an e-cigarette battery.
- A Florida man allegedly suffered facial injuries and lost several teeth when his vape device exploded.
In several other circumstances, house fires and other property losses have been linked to exploding e-cigarette batteries.
Minimizing the Risk of Vape Battery Explosions
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a few suggestions on how e-cigarette users can minimize the risk of vape battery explosions, including:
- Using safety devices, such as firing button locks and vent holes;
- Storing loose batteries in cases that insulate them from other metal objects;
- Only using the charger that came with the device, and refraining from overcharging;
- Not leaving an e-cigarette device unattended while it is being charged; and
- Replacing old or damaged batteries.
Vape device users should also read and follow all directions for their devices and should avoid using unauthorized modifications.
Recovering Damages in a Vape Explosion Lawsuit
Lawsuits have been filed by e-cigarette users who have suffered injuries and property losses as a result of allegedly exploding vape devices. Recovering damages in a battery explosion lawsuit will be a function of the specific facts in each case.
Our defective product attorneys advise anyone injured by an exploding vape pen to maintain accurate records of where they purchased the device, of the warning labels and cautions that were included with their device, and of how they were using their device when an explosion occurred.
Liability for injuries may be traced back to the manufacturer of a device if that manufacturer failed to exercise proper quality control. The retailer that sold the device may also be liable for selling the defective product.
Call Chaffin Luhana for More Information on Vape Battery Explosions
E-cigarette batteries can fail when their flammable components overheat and expand, which causes the seals on the batteries to burst in an explosive manner. If this happened to your e-cigarette or vaping device, you may be eligible to file a vape explosion lawsuit. The experienced legal team understand the science involved, and we utilize that knowledge in our negotiations with negligent parties and their insurance companies to recover the largest possible damages awards for our clients.
Call us if you have suffered injuries as a result of an e-cigarette battery explosion. We will fight tirelessly to recover the damages you deserve.