E-cigarette explosion and burn injuries may happen more frequently than people expect.
A new study shows that e-cigarette injuries have been inaccurately reported for years. It turns out exploding batteries from these devices are more common than previously thought.
Why aren‘t injuries tracked?
The new study shows hospitals treated over 2,000 injuries caused by e-cigs between 2015 and 2017. This number is 40x higher than the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had previously stated.
It can be difficult to track injuries around e-cigs. There are many different types and brands of e-cigarettes are available, each with a variety of batteries and accessories. This makes it hard to link injuries back to certain products. Only a portion of the estimated 2,000 e-cigarette injuries are labeled as e-cig related.
When someone goes to the hospitals with burns or other injuries, they may not be linked to e-cigs. Batteries exploding are the main cause of e-cig injuries. Many times hospitals identify the battery as the main cause, not the device itself.
Furthermore, there is no single organization connecting injuries to exploding e-cigarettes. The FDA and U.S. Fire Administration track explosions from e-cig batteries but not resulting injuries.
Main causes for e-cig explosions
There are a few things you should avoid when using your e-cigarette:
- Keeping e-cigs or extra batteries in the same pocket as metal objects like coins or keys.
- Letting fully-charged batteries stay plugged into chargers for long periods of time, keeping the battery warm.
- Using after-market batteries that aren’t made specifically for your device.
- Vaping while your e-cig is charging, putting extra pressure on the battery.
- Charging the battery in extreme heat or cold.
These are just a few of the ways batteries can become damaged and possibly explode.
What to do next
Explosions of e-cig batteries can cause permanent injuries and scars. If you or someone you know has had a battery from an e-cigarette ignite or malfunction, an attorney experienced with e-cigarette issues can help you.
