Another Vape Pen Death: What You Need to Know About Vaping

On January 29th of this year, a 24-year-old Texas man, William Brown, was killed after suffering complications from a vape pen explosion. Brown was using a vape pen in his car when it suddenly exploded, severing an artery and subsequently causing a stroke. After two days in the hospital, he succumbed to his injuries.

But unfortunately, this is not the first death from a vape pen. In May of 2018, a Florida man was killed when his vape pen exploded and sent projectiles into his head and caused a small house fire.

Between January 2009 and December 31, 2016, there have been 195 separate incidents of explosion and fire involving an electronic cigarette, which resulted in 133 injuries. Of the 133, 29% were severe.

But what makes these legal devices so dangerous and what can be done about preventing vape pen injuries?

What is a Vape Pen?

A vape pen, short for vaporizer pen, is a type of electronic cigarette. E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that simulate tobacco smoking by producing a heated vapor that appears like smoke. The term “electronic cigarette” or “e-cigarette” covers the class of devices with many different shapes and configurations, which includes mods, PVs, hookah pens, and vapes pens.

First patented in 2003, e-cigarettes have been for sale in the United States for over 11 years. In this duration, over 466 brands of e-cigarettes and 7,764 unique flavors have been created, exceeding $2.8 billion in sales in 2015.

How Do E-Cigarettes Work?

E-cigarettes work by converting liquid nicotine or hash oil into a mist or vapor, which is then inhaled. It delivers the mist or vapor by using four main parts: a power source (usually a lithium battery), a heating element, a cartridge which holds the liquid solution, and the mouthpiece.

By puffing on the mouthpiece, the battery-powered heating device is activated which then vaporizes the liquid in the cartridge. The user then inhales which results in aerosol or vapor.

Why are E-Cigarettes Dangerous?

“The lithium-ion batteries found in electronic cigarettes may contain defects that cause the batteries to explode or catch fire without warning,” the West Virginia personal injury lawyers at Manchin Injury Law Group warn, “while these incidents are still relatively rare, they can and are injuring consumers around the U.S.”

According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), e-cigarettes behave like “flaming rockets” during battery failure. Due to the close contact of an e-cigarette, when a battery fails and combusts, the injuries can be severe and life-altering. Of the 195 injuries reported between 2009 and 2016, 62% occurred when the e-cigarette device was in use or in the users pocket.

Explosions and fires from exploding e-cigarettes can cause disfiguring burns, traumatic amputations, puncture wounds and lacerations from shrapnel. Subsequently, some victims of e-cigarette injuries have filed lawsuits against manufacturers of e-cigarette batteries and the vape stores that sell them to recover compensation for medical expenses, loss of enjoyment of life, and various other damages.

Preventing E-Cigarette Injuries

Unfortunately, e-cigarettes are not just dangerous, they can be deadly. E-cigarettes using lithium-ion batteries pose a unique threat to users as they are unusually close to vital areas of the body.

To help reduce the chances of sustaining an e-cigarette injury or death, consider using the following safety tips:

• Avoid lithium-ion batteries. Consider using another form of battery technology for e-cigarettes.
• Look for e-cigarettes that have been evaluated for safety. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) have developed standards for lithium-ion battery safety, so look for the UL listing mark.
• Stress the importance of using UL-tested devices. It could save another’s life.