Personal injury and civil justice attorney Brooks Cutter is a leading advocate for consumer justice and protecting the rights of the severely injured…
E-Cigarette Lawsuits
Attorneys at Cutter Law P.C. are experienced in personal injury litigation and are committed to advocating for our clients’ rights. We represent e-cigarette battery claimants from across the U.S., and fight to ensure they receive the compensation they are entitled to for any burns or other injuries linked to exploding batteries.
E-cigarettes (or electronic nicotine delivery systems) are electronic vaporizers that provide the user with an experience similar to smoking a cigarette, without actually smoking a cigarette.
The e-cigarettes heat a liquid solution into a vapor, which the user inhales. This solution may include nicotine and other ingredients. Although e-cigarettes are often viewed as safer than regular cigarettes, e-cigarettes come with some risks that are not typically seen with regular cigarettes.
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Hospitals across the US are reporting an increasing number of incidents in which patients, especially young patients, are being treated for symptoms that appear pneumonia-like but have been linked to the use of vaping devices.
Some patients required treatment in intensive care and needed machines to help them breathe. Doctors and scientists are not sure if all patients will fully recover or what other long-term e-cigarette consequences these patients will experience.
Approximately 200 patients have been seen at hospitals in a minimum of 22 states. Unfortunately, at least one patient has died in Illinois with what is described as a pulmonary illness exacerbated or caused by e-cigarette use. Researchers are investigating what is causing the problem but have ruled out infectious disease.
All patients reported e-cigarette use shortly before they were hospitalized.
Symptoms include difficulty breathing, shortness of breath and dizziness.
E-cigarette vapors contain dangerous additives, including ultra-fine particulates, heavy metals and carcinogens. Some devices, such as JUUL e-cigarettes, contain nicotine. At least one of the flavoring ingredients—diacetyl, which is a butter flavour—has been linked to popcorn lung.
A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania found that people with no history of using e-cigarettes or tobacco showed changes to their cardiovascular system after only one use.
Those changes included less blood vessel dilation, reduced blood flow and lower levels of oxygen in the blood vessels. These changes occurred even though the e-cigarettes included in the study did not contain nicotine.
One of the main concerns regarding e-cigarettes is that the batteries can either on their own or while inside the e-cigarette-explode, causing serious burn injuries to users.
Consumers whose e-cigarettes use lithium-ion batteries could be at risk of having the battery explode and cause injuries. If the user is engaged in other activities at the time the battery explodes such as driving a vehicle the injuries could be devastating.
Among the circumstances that can lead to a lithium-ion battery exploding are contacting with other metal objects, extreme temperatures (either high or low temperature), overcharging the battery, or using a poorly-designed charger.
If you or a loved one has been harmed by an e-cigarette battery explosion, protect your rights by contacting Cutter Law P.C. today.
E-Cigarette Injuries
Among the injuries that have been reportedly linked to e-cigarette batteries are: burns to the legs, face, hands, groin, chest, and mouth. The location of the injury can vary depending on where the battery is being stored when it explodes, and whether the battery is in the e-cigarette and in use.
In one tragic case being handled by Cutter Law P.C., a 21-year-old died when his e-cigarette battery exploded, shooting the battery into his brain and starting a fire in his home.
Because the e-cigarette industry is not regulated, there are no requirements that companies linked to the industry provide data on injuries, making it difficult to know exactly how many people have been injured by exploding e-cigarette batteries in recent years.
These horrific e-cigarette explosions can happen at any time. Anyone who has been involved in one of these incidents should gather and preserve any evidence from the battery or the e-cigarette and their clothing, so our experts can inspect all of those items in preparation for an e-cigarette battery lawsuit.
Consumers who use e-cigarettes are advised not to leave lithium-ion batteries loose in their pocket, to reduce the risk of having a battery explode.
E-cigarette Battery Lawsuits
Battery manufacturers whose products have been linked to e-cigarettes include Samsung, LG, and Sony, as well as other manufacturers based in China. E-cigarette battery lawsuits, filed as product liability lawsuits, have been filed across the U.S. Lithium-ion batteries, the ones used in e-cigarettes, have also been linked to defects that caused fires in smartphones, hoverboards, and laptops.
In addition to lawsuits being filed against the makers of the batteries and vaporizers, lawsuits may also be filed against the importers, retailers, and sellers of these items, if they did not do enough to protect consumers from the risk of exploding batteries.
Cutter Law P.C. represents exploding battery burn victims across the country, from California to New York, and with a variety of burn injuries.
Other Issues Linked to Vaping
Among the other health issues linked to vaping and e-cigarettes are
$23.5 Million
Settlement won for government fraud in a whistleblower case against one of the world’s largest medical device manufacturers
$240 Million
Settlement in a nationwide defective medical device case involving defective pacemakers and cardiac defibrillators against Boston Scientific and Guidant
$12.95 Million
John R. Parker recently handled a case against the medical device company, Biotronik, Inc. for claims that they defrauded state and federal government agencies.
$4.7 Million
Brooks Cutter and John Parker obtained the settlement on behalf of our whistleblower clients in a case involving government fraud.
Popcorn Lung
Popcorn lung, known formally as bronchiolitis obliterans, is scarring of air sacs in the lungs that thickens and narrows the airways. It has been linked to diacetyl, which is used in some flavored e-cigarettes.
Nicotine Poisoning
An overdose of nicotine caused either in normal use of e-cigarettes or by accident, such as when a child gets hold of the e-cigarette fluids. Symptoms include headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Additionally, many users believe e-cigarettes are safer than regular cigarettes, but some experts believe e-cigarettes could be a form of gateway to tobacco, as consumers may switch between nicotine forms due to its addictive quality.
Our E-Cigarette Lawsuit Experience
Todd Walburg, a managing partner of Cutter Law’s Oakland, California office, handles e-cigarette cases from across the U.S. and has extensive experience in e-cigarette litigation.
In July 2017, at the Annual Convention of the American Association for Justice, he was elected Co-Chair of the AAJ E-Cigarette Litigation Group. He also formed and was appointed Co-Chair of the E-Cigarette Subgroup for the National Attorneys’ Information Exchange Group.
In addition to his courtroom experience advocating for people who have been injured by e-cigarettes, Mr. Walburg has published papers and given presentations to other lawyers regarding the dangers of e-cigarettes.
E-Cigarette Battery Lawyers
We represent e-cigarette battery claimants from across the U.S., and fight to ensure they receive the compensation they are entitled to for any burns or other injuries linked to exploding batteries.
Schedule a free consultation online or call us at 888-285-3333 to discuss your legal options. Our attorneys are available to answer your questions.
Testimonials
“I’m so glad I chose Cutter Law to take my case. They are ethical, hardworking, capable and very willing to represent individual clients who are opposing companies.”
I would like to express my gratitude for the way you and your firm handled my lawsuit. At all times, I felt my interest was held in a very professional way. I was very satisfied with the settlement that was awarded to me. If the need ever arises, I would most assuredly recommend your firm to anyone.
- by Brooks Cutter
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Our Office Locations
Sacramento Office
401 Watt Avenue Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95864
Phone: 916-290-9400
Oakland Office
Cutter Law P.C.
1999 Harrison Street Suite 1400
Oakland, CA 94612
