As we go through life we are bound to see changes. Starting in the 2000’s we have seen an abundance of new-age technology that is consistently changing our lives in ways we never thought imaginable. From cell phones to Bluetooth instruments, we are relying on technology for almost everything. Amongst all these new tools is the E-Cigarette. This technology changed the way people smoked. Instead of purchasing paper-rolled cigarettes in cartons, people are buying contraptions that transform the liquid into smoke. E-cigarettes have been marketed to reduce the amount of nicotine one intakes. In fact, people use E-Cigarettes to help curb their smoking habits. However, studies have shown that 90% of “vapers” (those who use e-cigarettes instead of real cigarettes) were still smoking nicotine after a year of vaping. Nonetheless, it is a fad that just keeps growing.
E-cigarettes made their first major debut in the early 2000s. Since then its popularity has grown, particularly among Americans. Each year E-Cigarettes annual sales are increasing every year. With data starting in 2014, sales jumped from $1.5 million to $3.6 million in 2017. This growing industry markets different tasting oils that provide tasty treats instead of just regular nicotine like the paper cigarette. The actual E-cigarette comes in many styles but all of them are 5 or more inches with a chamber to hold the liquid and another to hold a battery. These electrical cigarettes require some kind of power. Since this product was released without any real studies conducted, you never know how safe something really is until you get a mass population to use it. Hence the situation in a TV store in Anaheim.
In late August, a man went shopping for a new TV. He was an e-cigarette user and had just finished talking with a salesperson about what kind of TV he was willing to buy. The salesperson left the customer to get the paper started as the customer found someone that he liked. As the salesperson was gathering paper, the customer continued to walk around something made a loud popping sound. This popping sound was quickly followed by an explosion of flames. The customer ran out of the store screaming and semi-on fire. The whole incident was caught on camera and you can see distinctly that the explosion came from his pocket which held the E-cigarette.
In the legal world, a situation like this is considered product liability. Product liability is when a person experiences some injury due to a defective product. Our Anaheim product liability attorney at JML Law, a Professional Law Corporation, has over 35 years of experience with clients who have suffered from defective products. We can help identify your situation and see if the product that you were using was, in fact, defective, and if so, then we can help prepare a case for you. Call 818-610-8800 or click here to get started on a free consultation. This isn’t your fault. It is important to hold companies responsible to ensure that they continue to take extra care before placing products in the public.
