A car crash in Tempe, Arizona resulted in 2nd degree burns and numerous broken bones for a 20-year-old female driver after a car crash.
According to the police investigation, the car crash started when the woman had her electronic cigarette on her lap as she was backing her truck out of a driveway. The e-cig suddenly exploded, causing a fire in her lap. The fire continued to spread and it burned off almost all of her trousers.
In an effort to extinguish the flames, she leapt out of the moving truck. However, her truck ran over her legs before it went over a curb and hit a tree.
The woman’s injuries included 2nd degree burns and both of her hips were broken. She has been hospitalized due to the severity of her injuries. The police are still currently investigating the cause of the e-cig explosion.
E-Cig Hazards
Electronic cigarettes have been marketed as a safer and healthier alternative to tobacco cigarettes, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t come with their own set of hazards.
In 2014, the US Fire Administration reported that there have been 25 distinct cases of fires and explosions involving e-cigs since 2009 up to that time. Following the release of that report, many accounts of similar incidents have surfaced in the media as well.
There were 15 reported cases of e-cig fires and explosions in 2015 alone. Several were described as ignition, but most were categorized as explosions. Some of the cases resulted in fires. These occurred either as the e-cig owners were “vaping” (inhaling vapor) or as the batteries of the e-cigs were being charged. In many of these cases, experts have pinpointed the lithium-ion battery as the main cause or a contributing factor to the fore or explosion.
The Lithium-Ion Batteries
Lithium-ion batteries are one of the more commonly used power sources in modern electric gadgets. They’re so ubiquitous that they can be found in smartphones, laptops, tablets, and even in electric cars.
These batteries are generally considered safe, but this depends greatly on how they were manufactured. Some brands cut costs by using substandard components along with inferior quality controls. While some manufacturers contend that these accidents resulted when the owners used the e-cigs improperly, in many of the cases the fires and explosions occurred even during proper usage.
What to Do if an E-cig explodes in San Diego
Are you a fan of vaping? If that’s the case, your first priority is to make sure that your e-cig is made by a reputable manufacturer. The model you buy should not have a history of exploding.
If your e-cig explodes or ignites, you should consult with a product liability lawyer as quickly as possible. You may be facing serious medical expenses, and you may lose future income as well due to your injuries. Your lawyer in San Diego can explore your legal options so that you can get compensation for your expenses and for your pain and suffering.
Personal Injury Lawyers San Diego
1081 Camino Del Rio S. #111, San Diego, CA, 92108
619 880 2407