Texas Man Injured in E-cigarette Explosion
A Texas man suffered serious injuries after an e-cigarette exploded, likely as he was using it, officials said. According to a KXII news report, the 19-year-old man was transported to a local hospital in stable condition with injuries to his face and left hand. The explosion caught a small area of the floor inside the home on fire. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire and help ventilate the home to get the smoke out.
Numerous Reports of Explosions
Current industry reports state that more than 2.5 million Americans are using e-cigarettes. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there were 92 incidents of overheating, fire or explosion involving e-cigarettes across the country between 2009 and September 2015. The FDA also said that 45 incidents injured 47 people and 67 incidents involved property damage that went beyond just the product.
This incident in Texas is only one of hundreds of incidents reported nationwide. Officials say that a large number of incidents and injuries have not even been reported. Emergency room and burn center doctors around the country have also reported seeing an increase in the number of cases involving e-cigarette explosions. They are reporting serious injuries including burns, broken bones and severe facial abrasions.
Lithium Ion Batteries
The reason these devices are exploding is the lithium-ion batteries that power them. Manufacturers insist their batteries are safe and attribute explosions to consumers putting them in their pockets with other metal objects, overcharging the devices or using incompatible battery chargers. However, there have been a number of cases where batteries have exploded even when consumers did everything right. Numerous incidents have been caused by defective batteries or batteries manufactured using substandard materials. These devices have spontaneously combusted and exploded in people’s pockets and even in their faces if the devices were still in use.
Compensation for Injured Victims
Injured victims of e-cigarette explosions may be able to seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, scarring and disfigurement, pain and suffering and emotional distress. In such cases, the manufacturer, distributor, retailer or other parties can be held liable. An experienced product defect attorney who has successfully handled similar cases will be able to help injured victims seek and obtain fair compensation for their losses. The best personal injury law firms will always offer a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation to injured victims and their families.