Vaping might be touted as a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes, but it’s not a risk-free habit. Vape pens have caused thousands of injuries and deaths across the United States. Unfortunately, most of these injuries and deaths are not caused by inhaling the desired nicotine or marijuana vapor. Instead, they’re caused by defective vape pens that explode or expose users to undesired chemicals.
If you’ve been injured because of a defective vape pen in Albuquerque, New Mexico, don’t hesitate to call the Albuquerque personal injury attorneys at Singleton Schreiber. You may have the right to sue the manufacturer for your injuries, and our Albuquerque vape pen injury attorneys can help you maximize your recovery.
Injured consumers in Albuquerque trust Singleton Schreiber to help them stand up to powerful manufacturers. We’re fearless advocates with a proven ability to win top results. In fact, we’ve secured well over $2.5 Billion in damages on behalf of our clients.
Put our local lawyers and national resources in your corner by calling our Albuquerque, NM, law office today. There’s no charge for an initial case evaluation.
Common Vape Pen Injuries
Vaping is popular because it allows a person to ingest nicotine, marijuana, or other chemicals without having to smoke. When you vape, you insert a cartridge filled with chemicals into the pen. The pen’s heating element heats the chemicals to a desired temperature, at which point they vaporize. The vapor then travels through the mouthpiece, where it’s inhaled.
While vape pens can allow users to avoid smoke, they can cause problems in different ways.
Burns Caused By Exploding Batteries
Vape pen batteries have been known to explode or catch on fire. Some reported explosions have been due to overcharged battery packs. Others have been linked to battery defects or defects in the pen design itself.
When batteries explode or catch on fire, users have experienced catastrophic burns to the:
- Fingers
- Hands
- Arms
- Face
- Thighs
- Groin
Depending on the degree of the burn, these injuries can be painful, lead to muscle and/or bone loss, or require the amputation of a limb.
Exploding vape pens can also expel shrapnel and debris that, upon contact with the body, causes serious physical injuries or death.
Respiratory Illness Caused by Exposure to Harmful Chemicals
For many, vaping is attractive because it allows them to bypass the dangers of smoking. However, research suggests that vaping is also dangerous because the user still ingests thousands of chemicals - many of which are associated with serious respiratory illnesses.
One of the most commonly cited injuries linked to vape pen use is popcorn lung. Also known as bronchiolitis obliterans, popcorn lung is a chronic lung disease characterized by scar tissue in the lungs. This scar tissue can form when a person is exposed to chemicals commonly found in vape pen tanks or cartridges, including diacetyl, acetaldehyde, acrolein, and formaldehyde. The scar tissue can make it difficult to breathe and maintain adequate respiratory function.
Who is Liable For My Vape Pen Injury?
Most avoidable vape pen injuries are caused by product defects. In New Mexico, the company that designs, makes, or sells a product can be strictly liable when a product is defective. Strict liability means the consumer does not have a responsibility to prove the company was negligent.
Rather, the company is automatically on the hook for damages as long as the consumer can prove:
- The vape pen (or one of its components) was defective in the way is was designed, manufactured, or marketed
- The vape pen was used as intended or in a reasonably foreseeable way
- The defect caused the user’s injury or the wrongful death of a family member
New Mexico law requires an injured consumer to prove their product liability claim by a preponderance of the evidence. To do this, you’ll need substantial evidence to back your claim.
Evidence that can be useful in a vape pen injury case might include:
- Product blueprints and designs
- Safety testing results
- Similar complaints of injury or death
- Product recalls
- Expert testimony
- Video footage of an explosion or fire
- Witness statements
When you hire Singleton Schreiber to handle your vape pen injury case, you won’t have to stress about how to recover compensation or from whom. Our vape pen injury lawyers in Albuquerque will handle all aspects of your case from start to finish. We’ll identify your rights, launch an in-depth investigation, evaluate key pieces of evidence, and build a claim designed to help you not only win your case, but maximize your recovery. All you’ll have to do is focus on getting better.
Damages Commonly Awarded to Vape Pen Injury Victims in Albuquerque
When you suffer an injury because of a defective e-cigarette or vape pen, the consequences can affect every aspect of your life.
Through a product liability lawsuit against the vape pen manufacturer, you’ll have the ability to seek compensatory damages for things like:
- Present and future medical bills
- Lost wages and income
- Rehabilitation
- Disability
- Nursing care
- Property damage
- Funeral expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Reduced quality of life
- Inconvenience
- PTSD
- Chronic physical pain
New Mexico has strict time limits for product liability lawsuits. Typically, you’ll have three years from the date you’re injured to file a vape pen injury lawsuit in Albuquerque. Once the three-year statute of limitations runs out, the right to sue the manufacturer will be lost.
Call Singleton Schreiber For Help If You’ve Suffered Vape Pen Injuries in Albuquerque, NM
You got hurt because your vape pen was defective. You shouldn’t have to struggle with the debilitating consequences on your own. Singleton Schreiber is here to help you hold the manufacturer accountable for your physical injuries, costs, and suffering.
Our Albuquerque vape pen injury lawyers have decades of experience handling complex product liability disputes. As leading New Mexico personal injury attorneys, we’ve helped our clients win billions in life-changing financial awards.
Now, our award-winning litigators are here to help you win big, too. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you’ll pay nothing unless we win compensation for your vape pen injuries.Call our law office in Albuquerque today to learn more. Your first case evaluation is free.
Practice Areas
- Personal Injury Overview
- Amazon Delivery Driver Accidents
- Bicycle Accidents
- Brain Injuries
- Car Accidents
- Dog Bite Injuries
- E-Scooter Injuries
- Lyft Accidents
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Premises Liability
- Product Liability
- Slip and Fall Accidents
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Truck Accidents
- Vape Pen Injuries
- Wrongful Death