Exploding E-Cigarettes: Who Is At Risk and Who Is Liable?

E-cigarette products have exploded onto the market, but now they are also quite literally exploding in users’ faces and in their pockets.

One such incident this past October happened to a teenage girl from Elizabethton, Tennessee who was not even the owner or user of the device. While riding the Hogwarts Express train ride at Universal Studios in Florida, another passenger’s e-cigarette device exploded in his pocket, sending a fireball flying into her face.

Another similar incident occurred earlier last year in Owensboro, Kentucky when a convenience store patron’s e-cigarette spontaneously exploded in his pocket. The incident was even caught on video, showing how suddenly such an event can happen.

So while manufacturers tout the health and safety aspects of their products as a smoking alternative, the public must weigh the trade-off risks as well as the role of liability in e-cigarette explosion lawsuits.

Why Are E-Cigarette Devices Exploding?

E-cigarettes — also sometimes called “vapes” and the act of smoking them, “vaping” — are risky because of the cheap manufacturing practices and poor quality controls under which they are manufactured.

The e-cigarette market has presented enormous growth potential to a variety of parties. Just like the tobacco products they intend to replace, e-cigs and vapes have an undeniable cultural appeal to them. The nicotine they contain is just as addictive and often more concentrated than a typical cigarette. They also come in a variety of candy-type flavors, which has been cause for concern as teens and children become interested in them. Beyond that, the devices themselves and the unique visual effect of vaping have helped create a whole new subculture aesthetic.

For all of these reasons, in addition to smoking cessation intentions, the global e-cigarette market experienced triple digit growth for many years. Those eager to cash in on the ascending craze often want to do so with the highest margins possible.

This profit drive has lead to an influx of cheaply made wholesale devices coming from factories in China, Singapore and elsewhere. Within these devices are rechargeable lithium ion batteries that have a tendency to overheat or over-discharge, which can cause combustion inside the battery.

When these batteries fail in this way, they often lack the hollow center needed to contain resulting gasses, leading in a fiery explosion and a spray of caustic battery acid. Severe burns usually result, as can scarring, nerve loss, permanent disfigurement and even the loss of appendages.

How to Get Compensation from E-Cigarette Explosion Lawsuits

Since e-cigarette injuries are most often the result of defective battery designs or defects acquired in manufacturing, defective product laws can protect consumers from their monetary losses. Medical costs, lost wages, property damage, and more can be recovered along with compensation for emotional distress or suffering as a result of permanent scarring.

If you have been injured in an e-cigarette explosion, you may be entitled to these damages and more. Contact a Nashville defective product lawyer to start pursuing your claim today. You can reach the offices of Hughes & Coleman using the phone number above or the contact form to the right for a free case evaluation today.