The bad news is that e-cigarettes can fail and cause serious burn injuries and other issues. The good news is that if this has happened to you, there may be legal recourse. Keep reading to discover four reasons that your e-cigarettes battery may have failed and then contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal case evaluation.
The Science Behind the Explosions
Before we discuss four of the reasons that these devices explode, let us cover what causes the issue in the first place. It is simple: The battery overheats. When it gets to a certain heat level, the flammable part of the battery can catch fire, which then starts off a domino effect inside the battery that leads to heat coming out very quickly – in essence, exploding.
- Defects with the Design or Manufacturing If the battery was designed poorly, it could explode. In some cases, this poor design involves batteries that end up expanding as they charge. When this happens, the electrodes bend and a short circuit can occur. Even if the battery is designed well, if the manufacturing process is not perfect, it could result in a battery that is of poor quality and dangerous to users.
- There Were External Factors When an e-cigarette is exposed to extreme heat, you can count on an explosion. If a battery comes to close to a heat source, it will explode. Likewise, if a device is dropped very hard, or many times, then the separator between the electrodes can be damaged and the electrodes can touch. This can lead to an explosion and burn injuries.
- There’s an Issue with the Charger If the charger is not properly insulated, then you could end up with an explosion on your hands. This happens because the charger short circuits or otherwise gets too hot, and it is near enough to the battery that damage occurs. The good news is that lithium-ion batteries have built-in protections to prevent them from overcharging. The bad news is that they are not perfect. If you leave a device on the charger too long, it possible to overheat the battery.
- There Are Other Malfunctions In some cases, the issue may be due to thermal runaway and multiple cells. This does not usually occur with vape pens or e-cigarettes but it is possible. If there are several cells, the failure of a single cell could result in the entire battery exploding.
Call Us Today if You Have Suffered an E-Cigarette Injury
If you have been injured by an exploding e-cigarette or vape pen then we strongly urge you to contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for your free legal consultation. We can carefully consider your options and let you know the best way to move forward.
