e-Cigarettes

Smoking electronic cigarettes, also called vapes, has become extremely popular, especially among teens. But it’s often used to deliver nicotine and other chemicals, so it puts you at risk of harm if you smoke them. Additionally, the e-cigarette devices have been known to explode, causing personal injuries. If that happens to you, file an electronic cigarette lawsuit with the best vape explosion lawyer in New Jersey. For an effective case, call RAM Law as soon after your vaping accident as possible.

What Are E-Cigarettes?

Electronic cigarettes — also known as e-cigarettes, vapes or ENDS (electronic nicotine delivery systems) — are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid into an aerosol that you inhale. The liquid, also known as “e-juice,” is usually contained in a refillable cartridge or tank. It can contain nicotine, flavorings, propylene glycol and other chemicals. When you inhale, the aerosol is released, which is sometimes referred to as vaping or juuling.

E-cigarettes come in many different shapes and sizes, including e-pens, e-pipes, e-hookahs, e-cigars, tank systems and mods. Some delivery systems look similar to traditional cigarettes, cigars or pipes, while others resemble pens or USB flash drives. E-cigarettes can be reusable or disposable.

Are Vapes Safe to Smoke?

E-cigarettes are regulated by the government as tobacco products, and in the U.S., you must be at least 18 years old to purchase one. But they’re more popular among U.S. teens than any other form of tobacco due to the fun flavors, attractive packaging and ability to charge them using a USB port. Teens may also believe that vaping is less harmful than smoking cigarettes, but vaping can have serious health risks, including:

The use of e-cigarette or vaping products are associated with a serious lung condition that can be caused by vaping. Vitamin E acetate, found in some e-liquids, is a possible cause. An outbreak of EVALI in late 2019 and early 2020 hospitalized thousands of people and resulted in at least 68 deaths.
Nicotine addiction. Nicotine is an addictive drug that impacts the brain’s reward system, making it more pleasurable to use other drugs, including cocaine. Nicotine also affects areas of the brain responsible for learning and attention, and so it increases the risk of mood disorders and impulse control problems.
Some ingredients in the vape’s e-liquids are known to cause cancer.

If you or your loved ones have gotten hurt in a vape explosion, you may be eligible for compensation for your injuries and property damage, but you need the guidance of a reputable and experienced vape explosion lawyer to get it done for you. In New Jersey, find the best attorney to file an e-cigarette explosion lawsuit at RAM Law.

Why Are E-Cigarettes Dangerous?

When you choose a liquid to fill a vape pen or pod, you always get more than you bargained for because when your fluids get heated up, additional toxins are created. The Food and Drug Administration regulates the sale and manufacture of e-cigarettes, but little is known about the side effects of the combined contents of the liquids used. Manufacturers design fluids to deliver satisfying and enjoyable flavors and experiences. In addition to nicotine and THC, ultrafine particles are inhaled deep into your lungs and usually contain:

Propylene glycol. This is a common food additive that’s also found in paint thinner and antifreeze.
Diethylene glycol. This toxin is linked to the development of lung disease and is also used to make antifreeze.
Chemicals in vape fluids that are acknowledged to be cancer-causing materials include formaldehyde and acetaldehyde.
Heavy metals. Things like lead, tin and nickel are common substances found in vape fluids.
This is an herbicide that’s used primarily for killing weeds and it can lead to lung damage that’s irreversible.
This is a chemical that’s becoming popularized due to its link to a bronchial disease called “popcorn lung,” in which it sounds like corn popping when you take in a big breath.
This toxin is found in normal tobacco cigarettes and has a long history of causing problems breathing and other lung diseases.
This volatile organic compound is the source of many explosions of e-cigs, and you normally find it in your car’s exhaust.

You may be eligible for a range of compensation in a lawsuit against a vape manufacturer for anything from serious infections or disease directly related to vaping or from injuries and property damage caused by an e-cig explosion.

Are E-Cig Explosions Common?

Since coming on the market in 2007, e-cigarettes have caused many serious injuries due to exploding cartridges and batteries. And while they aren’t common, the fireworks that ensue after an explosion aren’t always the fault of the user. In fact, according to FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the main reasons that vapes explode or catch on fire is due to the “failure of the lithium-ion batteries.”

An electronic cigarette explosion lawsuit can arise from any number of circumstances whether the e-cig is in use or not. While the cases of exploding lithium-ion batteries aren’t overwhelming compared to how many are used every day, an accident like those only needs to happen to you once for your life to be seriously impacted. A few examples of recorded instances of e-cig explosions include:

The explosion of a spare vape battery that was in a man’s pocket while he was standing in line at a convenience store covered him with second-degree burns.
While using his vape, a man was burned, and he got his front teeth knocked out and a permanent nick out of his tongue when his vape exploded in his face.
A vape that was being charged in a laptop port exploded and ended up burning the computer, nearby lamps and parts of a man’s house.
An e-cigarette explosion caused a man’s carotid artery to be injured, resulting in his death.
A teenager lost part of his jaw when a vape exploded.
A woman’s car burned when a vape exploded inside while it was charging.

FEMA reports that most e-cigarette explosions take place while the batteries are charging and when users don’t follow directions precisely. To strengthen your case, your New Jersey vape explosion lawyer will investigate your situation and pull from legal precedents set in other vape explosion cases that have been made public. They also explore some of the most common reasons for exploding vapes, which include:

Keeping vapes and batteries in your pocket while you’re moving around
Using faulty or damaged batteries
Relying on chargers that weren’t designed specifically for your device
Buying substandard, off-label batteries with ratings that turn out to be inaccurate
Having a lack of proper information on how to charge, store and use your e-cig device

How Can a Vape Explosion Lawyer Help Me in New Jersey?

A New Jersey personal injury lawyer from RAM Law pieces together an e-cigarette explosion lawsuit or lawsuit based on a developed disease you got from vaping by:

Collecting your medical records
Receiving police reports of an accident and your time in an ambulance or other emergency vehicle
Documenting your involvement with e-cigarettes
Figuring out the value of your losses
Finding case law that supports your case
Using investigators to find others in your area who may have similar experiences and possibly putting together a class-action lawsuit
Getting receipts for repairs to your property after an explosion
Interviewing witnesses and people who know you and your vape usage
Putting together back-up information like copies of ads and store displays depicting vaping as an acceptable activity
Filing all the paperwork and case documentation in a timely manner to meet or exceed New Jersey deadlines for personal injury claims
Going to court if you can’t come to a reasonable settlement with the vape manufacturer, distributor and/or supplier

In addition to the bills accrued during the emergency when the vape exploded, you may endure other injuries and disease related to long-term use of vaping liquids or directly to an explosion, which may include:

Electrical injuries
Burns
Asthma
Bronchitis
Permanent scarring

You may need long-term recovery services and treatments to restore your health as much as possible that may include:

Physical therapy
Plastic surgery
Surgery

What Kind of Compensation May I Get from an Electronic Cigarette Explosion Lawsuit?

Like most personal injury cases in New Jersey, you may be due compensation for a number of areas in which you’ve sustained losses due to a vape explosion. Your e-cigarette explosion lawsuit may include claims for losses such as:

Wages that you couldn’t earn while you recovered
Future earnings that you’ll never make because of long-term diseases or injuries
Loss of relations with your spouse or partner due to emotional trauma or physical injury
Medical bills that include the ambulance ride and follow-up appointments

To ensure that your case is strong, and you can collect compensation for all your losses, take certain steps immediately following an explosion as much as you’re able. You and your RAM Law attorney only have two years from the time of the incident to file a personal injury claim in New Jersey. So, try to assist your vape explosion lawyer and their investigators by taking quick action as you’re able. After calling for emergency treatment from 911, if you aren’t incapacitated, take steps that include:

Taking pictures of the accident, such as property damage incurred and physical injuries to you or nearby bystanders
Getting witness contact names and number for your attorney to later call
Saving your clothes or other materials that show the damages caused by the explosion; these are helpful for a jury to see in addition to pictures if your case must go to trial
Keeping the vape device that exploded as well as packaging and chargers
Receiving copies of police and medic reports
Writing down your experience as soon as possible so that details are recorded to the best of your ability
Asking a friend or nearby witness to gather evidence if you’re unable
Calling an experienced vape explosion lawyer near me in New Jersey who can also send investigators to you as soon as possible to ensure the best evidence isn’t lost

Vaping can be a dangerous activity even if you follow all the directions that come with your device and don’t take any unnecessary risks while vaping. But whether you followed directions exactly or not, you shouldn’t have to suffer from the consequences of a defective product that you bought for enjoyment and thought was safe. For the best representation in an e-cigarette explosion lawsuit, contact the specialists at RAM Law today for a free consultation.

Sources:

https://www.classaction.com/e-cigarettes/lawsuit/

https://www.nstlaw.com/product-liability-lawyers/vape-battery-explosion/

https://cutterlaw.com/e-cigarette-lawsuits/explosions/

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/pdfs/ecigarette-or-vaping-products-visual-dictionary-508.pdf

https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/e-cigarettes-vaping/whats-in-an-e-cigarette

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/fda-voices/how-fda-regulating-e-cigarettes

https://vapingdaily.com/what-is-vaping/e-cigarette-explosions/

https://www.injuryclaimcoach.com/claim-process/evidence.html