Legal actions by victims of vape battery accidents against vape shops and battery manufacturers have become commonplace. Keith Badler, senior technical trainer with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said hes particularly concerned about the threat of a battery fire in a bridge or a tunnel. Austin Adams, 17, was trying to quit smoking. Some fire departments in Arizona and elsewhere have added a new tool to fight these kinds of fires: a chemical additive specially designed to absorb heat and put down certain kinds of blazes. "It appears the battery failed, and when it failed, it was quick," Lawrence told NBC News. Such actions are a reliable route to a modest payday for personal injury lawyers, because both shops and battery manufacturers have liability coverage with insurance carriers who settle almost every action. The most common causes of vaping battery accidents can be grouped together as user error. Alberta e-cigarette explosion ignites regulation debate, Vaping as a method to quit smoking doesn't work well, Canadian doctor says, reversed the dismissal of a lawsuit filed againstLG Chemical, the first known death in the United States caused by an explodingvapebattery, CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. Thanks for reminding me! Rewrapping the battery yourself is not difficult; you can purchase sleeves cheaply and do it in minutes. A short circuit can cause overheating, which can eventually cause an explosion. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. In fact, most e-cigarette explosions dont even involve an e-cig. Given the difficulties present in the chain of distribution, plaintiffs may choose to focus on retailers and manufacturers of the actual vaping device over more difficult to reach defendants. Vape Explosions: What Vapers Need to Know https://t . In April 2019, the two fire captains responded to a call at a facility that was housing thousands of lithium-ion batteries used to store energy for a power grid. But while the agency has sent warning letters to e-cigarette manufacturers about marketing violations and illegal sales to minors, they haven't issued any warning letters about the potential for the batteries to overheat and explode. So far this year, electric bike batteries have been identified as the cause of three fires in New York. Firstly, for all documented/reported explosions during 2016, the breakdown is: Blaming unregulated/mechs for a problem that exists across the board is just wrong. Manufacturers should take this very seriously," Sakamoto told NBC News. Rossheim suggests the true number of injuries may be much higher, because his team only examined emergency room visits. These The rise of electric scooters in cities has led to a massive spike in battery fires. Information from consumers about vape fires or explosions can help FDA to address these problems. The device was powered by an LG Chem America, Inc. 18650 lithium ion battery. An official website of the United States government, : A month later, an electric scooter sparked a fire inside a New York City apartment that killed a 5-year-old girl and 36-year-old woman. Military service members between 2003 and 2015 may be eligible for a 3M earplug lawsuit payout over hearing damage or tinnitus. E-Cigarette Exploded in a Teenager's Mouth, Damaging His Jaw E-cigarette explosions occur when the lithium-ion battery inside a vape pen overheats, according to the Food and Drug Administration. He was. Nine devices from these companies received the UL mark. Tips to Help Avoid Vape Battery or Fire Explosions | FDA The explosion caused the device to shoot "like a rocket into the cranial cavity and then [fall] to the ground, igniting a fire at the same time," said Lt. Steven Lawrence, deputy fire marshal for St. Petersburg Fire Rescue. The battery in the vape pen can short circuit and cause the battery to overheat. As for vaping being done away with just like cigaretteswell, cigarettes ARENT being done away with. This was not the first time that an 18650 battery has been implicated in an e-cigarette explosion. The thin plastic cover that prevents the metal body of the battery (the can) from making contact with the sides of the devices battery chamber can get torn. Learn What Vaping is and How to Inhale Properly, 9 Pros and Cons of Vaping You Need to Know, The Different Types of Vapes You Need to Know, 11 Battery Safety Tips to Keep You More Protected. Confirm your product Dont give in on product identification. Andrew Blankstein is an investigative reporterfor NBC News. Brevard County Solid Waste Management Department Recyclopedia A few, but not all, are sold in the U.S. "The highest discharge of that battery occurs when you're inhaling. When you press the fire button on a vape device, it connects the circuit between the batterys positive and negative poles, and power flows to the device. It is important for defendants, especially those representing manufacturers and distributors, to be mindful of personal jurisdiction defenses throughout the case. He noted that it often takes a massive amount of water to extinguish the chemical-fueled blazes. Don't mix different brands of batteries, don't use batteries with different charge levels, and don't use old and new batteries together. lawsuits over lithium ion battery explosions, banned all forms of electronic smoking devices, Bard Hernia Mesh Trial Cases Will Not Be Replaced, Despite Manufacturer's Request, Information About Covidien Hernia Mesh Problems, Design Features To Be Presented at Science Day, Philips CPAP Health Issues Continue To Surface Long After DreamStation Recall, Philips Evo Ventilator Recall Issued Due to Air Flow Malfunction Risk, Chemical Manufacturers Hid PFAS Exposure Risks Using Deceptive Tactics, Study Warns, PFAS Chemicals Contaminate Almost Half of U.S. Just last week, the FDA finalized guidance for manufacturers who are submitting new applications for tobacco products, which includes e-cigarettes. Moreover, its important to keep in mind that unlike their use in laptops or cellphones, with electronic vapor devices, the batteries are used specifically to create the high heat needed to create vapor. Such batteries are then "re-wrapped" misstating the batteries' capacities. Those that dont meet the standards for direct sale to electronics manufacturers are sometimes sold to resellers, who rewrap them with different brand names and sell them for other uses. You can reach her at ozten.shebahkeget@cbc.ca. Thats where we need to start playing catch-up.. Regulations as to the safety of electronic batteries used in electronic cigarettes and other vaping devices are still developing. The viewer sees a huge flash and the vapers clothes catching on fire, and assumes a vaping device has spontaneously exploded. Why Do Vape Batteries Explode? | Vape Batteries - IndeJuice 2023 Hawkins Parnell & Young LLP, All Rights Reserved. Two e-cigarette explosions have proven fatal. [3] Lydia Zacarias and Steven Thomas Brown, Individually as Heirs at Law, and as Representative of the Estate of William Eric Brown, Deceased, 153rd Judicial District of Tarrant County, Texas, Cuase Number 153-303073 (2019). Anything more and they can become unstable. A recent study from George Mason University estimated there were more than 2,000 visits to U.S. emergency rooms from 2015 to 2017 for e-cigarette burns and explosion-related injuries. Jim McDonald May 11, 2023 10 There was a time when e-cigarette explosions and fires ruled the news. If you use a charger intended for large, high-capacity batteries to charge a small vape pen, for example, it can create instability in the battery cell. [4] Tommaso Giusti v. LG Chem, Ltd. et al, (New York Supreme Court, Suffolk County, 2019). One of the many dangers of vaping is the explosion of a vape pen. Dont forget personal jurisdiction Remember, just because the explosion and consequential injury occurred within the state where the case is filed does not mean that the cause of action arises out of your clients activities within that state. If a lithium battery explodes, the victim may deserve financial compensation from the manufacturer. Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are used in many products such as electronics, toys, wireless headphones, handheld power tools, small and large appliances, electric vehicles and electrical energy storage systems. Kovac was "conducting himself in a safe, careful and reasonable manner" when using the vape"for its intended and marketed purpose," the suit maintains. It is possible to accidentally overcharge batteries, especially if you use a charger meant for a different kind of battery. Find out if you may be eligible for a hearing loss settlement. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a rule banning e-cigarettes from checked bags on airplanes because they have been known to catch fire. Almost every popular battery on the market has been counterfeited. Dont charge them overnight, or leave the house when theyre charging. How to Avoid Vape and Electronic Cigarette . The agency now recommends that companies provide detailed information about the kinds of batteries they use, as well as plans for addressing the likelihood of overheating, fire and explosion. We look forward to hearing from you. [3]This month, a case was filed in Suffolk County, NY alleging that an electronic vaping device battery exploded while in the plaintiffs pocket, causing severe burns. Until all vapes and vape batteries conform to strong and consistent safety standards, your best protection against vape battery fires or explosions may be knowing as much as possible about your device and how to properly handle and charge its batteries. Another challenge plaintiffs face is the distribution chain itself. ", Erika Edwards is a health and medical news writer and reporter for NBC News and "TODAY.". A Louisiana man has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of certain lithium ion batteries after his vape pen exploded in his pocket, resulting in severe first and second degree burns to. Florida law recognizes lawsuits based on vape pen malfunctions, including lithium-ion battery explosions. Why E-Cigarettes Explode, and How You Can Vape Safely - Lifehacker You may have heard that e-cigarettes, or vapes, can catch on fire or explode and seriously hurt people. The result can be an explosion. But simply doing so can put users at risk. Most lithium battery fires are caused by cell-phones, vape pens, and laptop computers. A large majority of vaping explosions are in reality caused by loose batteries carried in pants pockets, not by vaping devices at all. These Three Companies are Being Sued Over a Vape Pen Explosion Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. Such events are extremely rare, but they do happen. Can Lithium Batteries Explode? | Morgan & Morgan Law Firm 04/01/2022 . With experience in personal injury cases, they can apply their training to ensure that you have the right evidence and that you assert it in a way that makes a compelling case. Beware of potentially facing liability for a knockoff. Transmission of information from this site is not intended to create, and its receipt does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship between Bernstein & Marynoff and the user of this site. These products continue to be placed into the stream of commerce in an untested and unsafe condition and will continue to cause injuries unless and until those responsible are held accountable.. Lithium-ion batteries sparked more than 200 fires in New York City last year alone, killing six people and injuring nearly 150. A lithium-ion vape battery explodes when it becomes too hot. Regardless of the source of the product, a company that sells vape pens in the United States has a legal obligation to sell only safe products. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. But when those batteries fail or overheat, they release flammable, toxic gasses that can spark a fast-spreading fire that is extremely difficult to extinguish. "People were drawn to him; he was a magnet to others," he said. "It looked like a hole in his chin.". Beyond those safety measures, Conley said anyone using a mechanical mod to vape must be educated about voltage, current and resistance. The fact patterns are often very similar there was nothing wrong with it, when all of the sudden it exploded in my pocket.A study by FEMA[6] revealed that the vast majority of these explosions occur either while the device is in the users pocket, or while the device is in use. Neither of the manufacturers immediately responded to requests for comment by CBC News. Fire Safety Research Institute Kerber said. Have you been hurt by an exploding vape pen? He was in shock and unable to speak. Chris D'Elia, Wake's father, said that when his son's e-cigarette exploded, "the metal part of the pipe was actually embedded in his skull.". Side effects of the Gardasil HPV vaccine have been linked to reports of serious and debilitating autoimmune injuries. That same year, the Associated Press reported the first known death in the United States caused by an explodingvapebattery, which killed a 38-year-old Florida man. Fortunately, the fire was contained in a detached garage. Last October, a global independent safety science company, Underwriters Laboratories, announced the first safety standard for the electrical, heating, battery and charging systems for e-cigarettes. Last, no vape employee or guy at a vape shop (highly highly unlikely at least) has ever told told some that they should get aRead more . One of the main challenges facing plaintiffs in these cases is identification of the actual products at issue both the battery and vaping device. THIS IS WHY VAPE BATTERIES EXPLODE - Battery Safety Video The DOT has also determined e-cigarettes may not be used during flight, Stones lawsuit states. Without them, it would be impossible to carry around the smartphones we rely on. Women diagnosed with cancer may be eligible for settlement benefits. Lithium 18650 Battery Explosion "Thats where we have our biggest concern.". However, Conley stressed that using advanced mechanical mod systems requires consumers to learn battery safety. Another issue is counterfeit batteries, which are low-quality or inappropriate cells rewrapped with high-quality brands labels. On January 10th I had a 18650 blow up due to a thermo runaway. More specifically, the lithium-ion battery inside the device exploded. New concerns after e-cigarette explosion breaks 17-year-old's jaw, warning letters to e-cigarette manufacturers about marketing violations, E-cigarette explosion blamed for Texas man's death. Those people have the right to save their own lives in whatever manner they choose,Read more . I recently had the same battery explode in my pocket as well I have 3rd degree burns approx. In line with that theory, often that battery at issue is actually a spare battery which the user brought along to prolong their ability to use their vaping device. Yes, a vape pen can explode. All Call2Recycle drop-off locations accept used rechargeable batteries with most accepting used cellphones. Changes may be coming to the industry.