Electronic cigarettes, also known as vape devices, were initially introduced as an alternative for those who wanted to kick their smoking habit. Although the inception of this product initially dates back to the 1930s, it wasn’t until 2003 that the product officially hit the market and was available for consumer use. Although the e-cigarette was designed to ultimately help people make healthier choices and cut down on regular cigarette use, unfortunately, many people have suffered from various adverse reactions to e-cigarettes over the years. The bottom line is that e-cigarettes haven’t been on the market long enough to fully understand their long-term effects, and as more discoveries are being made that are linked directly to e-cigarette use, the more frequent e-cigarette lawsuits are becoming.
One common cause of recurring e-cigarette lawsuits is defective e-cigarettes causing injury by exploding during use. A recent case includes one of just many reports alleging that the battery of an e-cigarette exploded, resulting in second-degree burns on the body. In this particular case, the injured individual wasn’t even using the e-cigarette when the battery exploded, but the e-cigarette was in his pocket at the time, causing serious burn injuries on the victim’s leg. Similar lawsuits claim that the manufacturer of the lithium-ion batteries used in e-cigarettes had been neglectful when it comes to informing others about the potential dangers and risks involved with using e-cigarettes, and the possibility of the e-cigarettes exploding. In other cases, e-cigarettes have been reported to explode when the batteries are charging.
Aside from concerns with the actual manufacturing of the product, there have also been health concerns linked to the use of e-cigarettes. In particular, the CDC has stated that e-cigarettes are unsafe for:
- Pregnant women
- Children
- Young adults
- Non-smokers
Because e-cigarettes do contain nicotine, they can cause some of the same adverse health effects that regular cigarettes cause. Additional research can provide more insight into the long-term health effects of e-cigarette use, but because they are still somewhat new, there is still so much uncertainty on how much damage they can cause. In addition to nicotine, e-cigarettes also contain a combination of other dangerous chemicals, including volatile organic compounds, diacetyl (used for flavoring, which has been linked to a serious lung disease), tiny particles that can make their way deep into the lungs, heavy metals, and other chemicals that can increase a user’s chances of getting cancer.
For the most part, people tend to understand and accept the risks that are involved with products containing nicotine, but that still doesn’t mean manufacturers haven’t been found liable for a number of different reasons. Aside from defective e-cigarettes that have exploded and burned users, some have also pursued lawsuits against e-cigarette manufacturers for health-related reasons. For example, one lawsuit alleges that e-cigarette manufacturers are aiding in an epidemic of vaping amongst children who are of middle and high school age. One of these lawsuits, which Attorney General Josh Stein initiated, alleges that marketing tactics and materials have been designed specifically to target this demographic. Data also reveals that while teenage tobacco use once initially dropped substantially from 28 percent to just above five percent over a 17-year period, the introduction of e-cigarettes caused those numbers to jump back up again. Now, data is showing that the number of high schoolers who use tobacco products has now gone back to almost 30 percent, in addition to 7 percent amongst middle schoolers.
If you or a loved one was injured as a result of an e-cigarette injury, you are not alone: You may be one of many individuals who are currently working with an attorney and pursuing monetary compensation through a lawsuit. The type of lawsuit you and your attorney may be pursuing would depend on the specific details of your injury, but many e-cigarette lawsuits are product liability lawsuits. Determining liability and proving that an injury is linked to an e-cigarette can be a convoluted process, but your attorney is likely working hard at getting you the highest settlement possible.
Although the settlement you receive is meant to compensate you for pain and suffering, amongst other things, many plaintiffs find that waiting for that settlement to finalize can be difficult. If mounting bills and expenses have made the settlement process a stressful one, consider the benefits that pre-settlement funding has to offer. With pre-settlement funding, plaintiffs with qualifying cases have the opportunity to access the settlement money they will eventually receive when their case finalizes, but upfront and without the wait. At USClaims, we are happy to offer this service to individuals waiting on their lawsuits to finalize. If your case doesn’t reach a settlement for any reason, you don’t owe USClaims anything, so this is a risk-free way to receive settlement money sooner. Contact USClaims today for more information and to find out if your e-cigarette lawsuit is eligible for pre-settlement funding.
