Everyone knows that smoking cigarettes can be dangerous to your health. This fact has spurned the creation of the e-cigarette industry as an alternative to traditional smoking and now is more prominent among young Americans than smoking itself.
E-cigarettes, or electronic cigarettes, are battery-powered devices that allow a user to feel like they are smoking without the traditional presence of tobacco. They work by putting off an aerosol that is inhaled by a user just like traditional cigarette smoke is inhaled by a smoker and can present with a wide range of flavors. Prominently known as vaping, the health benefits and risks of e-cigarettes when compared to traditional smoking are not well understood at this time but it has not stopped millions from taking up the habit.
A recent incident in the news is highlighting the fact that potential dangers associated with e-cigarettes might extend beyond the vapor inhaled and exhaled by users and might include the devices themselves. Last week, a woman in Florida claims she was sitting in her car, intending to use an e-cigarette outside of a friend’s house when something went wrong. The user claims that she pushed a button on the e-cigarette and that the device exploded in her face, knocking her teeth loose and causing her to sustain burns to her torso and hand. Her car caught fire as a result of the explosion.
Though this case happened in the south, it could have occurred in Illinois just as easily and it is far from the first incident related to the safety of e-cigarettes. Other reports of explosions, fires, and even broken bones have been linked to the use of these devices with some victims suffering permanent and debilitating injuries.
Manufacturers who create and market products must do so in a safe and reasonable manner. Selling faulty or defective products may lead to legal liability where an injury victim can recover for her damages, including the medical expenses she incurs and any wages she does not earn while she is forced to miss time from work.
If you were involved in an accident in the Chicago area that left you with injuries or that claimed the life of someone you love, make sure you understand your legal rights so that you can act upon a claim if you choose to do so. To help you, the personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. offer a no-cost, no-obligation case consultation to all victims who contact us toll free at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575. We have a licensed lawyer standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week to speak with you and if we take your case, we will never charge you a fee unless we make a recovery on your behalf.
Prior Blog Entry:
Cancer Risks from Lumber Liquidators Floors are Higher than Previously Thought, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published March 2, 2016.
Resource:
E-Cigarette Explosion Injures Florida Woman, Destroys Car, Insurance Journal, published February 28, 2016.