While some guidelines have been established in New York and around the country regarding vaping in public areas, little research or regulation has been done regarding the safety of the e-cigarette devices themselves. Frighteningly, more and more complaints regarding e-cigarette accidents are surfacing. In another state, a couple recently filed a products liability lawsuit over an accident involving exploding e-cig batteries that resulted in severe injuries to the husband.
Apparently, the plaintiff was busy at work one day when he felt a fire in first one of his pants’ pockets, then the other, where he had been keeping extra lithium-ion batteries for his e-cigarette. The man was rushed to a medical center for treatment of the severe second and third-degree burns he suffered on both legs. While he was released a week later, he is still expected to need surgery for skin grafts.
The man and his wife are already facing medical expenses totaling over $200,000, and that’s before he has finished all the treatments he will require. For the man’s pain and suffering and the mounting medical costs, the couple has filed a product liability lawsuit, alleging that the batteries were defective, and that the couple were never warned of any risk of explosion. They are also requesting damages for the loss of consortium, as the man’s injuries have affected their marital relations.
This particular lawsuit names as defendants the battery manufacturer LG and the two vape shops, Tobacco Zone and Rockin Vape, but other products liability lawsuits against other defendants have been cropping up across the country for similar issues. New York vapers have the right to know of the potential hazards involved with e-cigarette batteries and their risk of explosion. Those who have been similarly injured by this or any other defective product have the right to seek counsel from an attorney, who can help them explore options for compensation.
Source: chicagotribune.com, “E-cigarette battery explosion hurts man, his marriage: lawsuit“, Steve Schmadeke, June 28, 2017
