$1M Settled due to Exploding E-Cigarette

Our client entered a vaporizer store and purchased an e-cigarette in Costa Mesa, California. While on a bicycle ride, the plaintiff stopped to smoke when the vape started blowing up.

While they were holding the device with both hands and pressing the button to inhale, the battery of the e-cigarette manufactured and/or distributed by the defendants exploded in our client’s face. The accident caused first-degree burns to both hands and the inside and outside of their mouth. They also suffered facial deformities to their lips, lost three teeth, and loosened several others.

As a result, the explosion set our client’s backpack on fire, which they tried to extinguish while screaming and bleeding from their mouth, lips, and gums.

Faced with the possibility of a life-threatening explosion and the intensity of the flames, our client suffered a panic attack. As they collapsed, a bystander came to their aid. After extinguishing the fire, the bystander was able to call 911 and locate the victim’s partner. Our client temporarily lost consciousness at the scene.

Eventually, both an ambulance and firefighters arrived at the scene. They treated the injuries and analyzed the flames caused by the vape blowing up. Our client was then transported by ambulance to Orange County Global Medical Center for treatment of their burns. On the way there, the paramedics monitored our client’s vital signs, which were elevated due to a noticeable level of distress. Our client was unable to even sign the ambulance paperwork. Upon arrival at the facility, our client was examined and diagnosed.