Fires and Explosions: Defective Products

When you purchase appliances, cell phones, vape pens or other products, the expectation is that they are durable, and designed and built with care. You expect them to function safely.

But that just isn't always the case. Unfortunately, items we purchase can fail, and defective products sometimes explode or burst into flames—causing consumers to suffer serious and sometimes lifelong injuries.

If you were seriously hurt after a product exploded or caught fire, and you don't know where to turn, we can help you. Call the product injury attorneys at Edgar Snyder & Associates today.

For product liability cases, you really can't go it alone. It's David vs. Goliath—you vs. a big company and insurance company.

Our attorneys will take care of all the paperwork, handle the aggressive insurance agents, and advise you every step of your case. That way, you can focus on what's most important for you and your family—getting better.

When Products Explode, Catch Fire

More than 350,000 people are hurt by defective products each year—with the most serious injuries suffered when products explode or catch fire.

Unfortunately, these kinds of product explosions have been anything but few and far between, and malfunctioning ion batteries have been at the root of many of them.

Electronic Cigarettes/Vape Pens

They are called vape pens and e-cigarettes, and there have been hundreds of cases of the devices—powered by ion batteries that are largely unregulated for safety—blowing up in user's hands, pockets, and cars. Those explosions have caused severe burns and injuries that required skin grafts and other painful reconstructive surgery.

The Samsung Note 7

Samsung made international headlines for all the wrong reasons when it debuted its much-anticipated Galaxy Note smartphone only to have reports of the devices exploding in user's hands, pockets, and cars because of issues with its ion batteries—in some cases causing serious burns. The company discontinued the Galaxy Note 7 after it recalled the phone and sent consumers replacements that, in some instances, also burst into flames or exploded.

Samsung Washing Machines

The nation's top consumer watchdog, the U.S. Product Safety Commission, issued a warning about some of Samsung's top-loading washing machines manufactured between 2011 and 2016. The warning came after reports surfaced that the machines were exploding inside people's homes.

Why Ion Battery-Powered Devices Keep Exploding

There are plenty of reasons lithium-ion batteries are the power source du jour for everyday electronics. They are efficient, offer high storage capacity, and long life spans—and they power everything from cell phones and laptops to vape pens and car batteries.

Unfortunately, the one emerging problem with lithium-ion batteries is a potentially deadly one: They are prone to overheating and even bursting into flames.

Boosted, the manufacturer of a popular electronic skate board, was the latest to warn customers of the risk this week after two incidents where its product batteries failed. Although nobody was injured, and no batteries exploded, the company asked those who've purchased its first-generation electric skateboard product to stop using them.

This news comes in the wake of a full-scale recall of Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 cell phone following reports of the devices exploding in users' hands and pockets—in some instances, even when they were driving.

When—and Why—Lithium-Ion Batteries Explode

There are some common reasons why lithium-ion batteries explode. This happens when:

• The batteries are charged too quickly.
• The batteries are charged with the wrong accessory.
• The walls separating batteries erode, spurring a chemical reaction that causes an explosion.
• There is a manufacturing defect. With the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, there was an alleged manufacturing defect that caused the positive and negative components of the batteries to come into contact, causing explosions.

Exploding Lithium-ion Batteries: A Brief History

While exploding lithium ion batteries in Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones may have garnered worldwide media attention, they weren't the first devices to seriously—and, in some cases, fatally—injure consumers after catching fire or exploding.

Other exploding devices include:

• Vape Pens—Whether you refer to them as vape pens or e-cigarettes, the lithium-ion batteries powering the electronic nicotine-delivery systems (ENDS) are prone to explosions. According to federal statistics, there have been 126 reports of e-cigarettes overheating, spewing flames or exploding, causing users burns (some required skin grafts) and other injuries. The majority of the explosions occurred while the batteries were charging. While the ENDS industry recently became federally regulated, the lack of oversight over the growing industry was largely blamed for the spate of fires and explosions.
• Hoverboards—Hoverboards were last year's hot buy, but they made headlines for the wrong reasons after their lithium-ion batteries began overheating and catching fire. A consumer took legal action recently against Amazon after a Hoverboard purchased from the online retailer exploded and the ensuing fire destroyed his million-dollar home. It wasn't an isolated incident—the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says the self-balancing scooters were responsible for nearly 100 electrical fires.
• Computers—After reports surfaced of computers overheating and in some cases, even melting, HP this past summer recalled 50,000 Compaq, HP ProBook, HP Envy and other computer models. Four of the reports included thousands of dollars in property damage.

Preventing Lithium-Ion Battery Explosions

If you're using a product powered by lithium-ion batteries, there are a few simple steps you can take to lower your risk of having it catch fire or explode:

• Keep them cool. Don't store devices in hot cars or other extreme temperatures. Safety experts even recommend keeping your cell phone somewhere other than your pocket because they can get too warm from your body heat.
• Keep them separated. If one lithium battery explodes, one that is stored nearby may also catch fire. Don't tempt fate—keep your devices powered by lithium-ion batteries in separate places.
• Use the correct charger. Simply put: If you use any charger except the one the device came with, you could be at a greater risk of a fire and/or explosion.

After more than 30 years of representing injured clients, we know that no matter how careful you are, accidents sometimes happen. When it comes to exploding devices, sometimes it's not your fault.

If you've been injured by an exploding vape pen, cell phone or other device powered by a lithium ion battery, you could be eligible for money to compensate you for medical bills, lost wages, and in some cases even pain and suffering.

Call the product injury attorneys at Edgar Snyder & Associates today—we can help determine who is liable for your injury, and whether you have a case. We’re available 24/7, so contact us today for a free case review. Remember: There's no obligation to use our services, and there's never a fee unless we get money for you.

Why Hire a Product Injury Attorney?

Have you or a loved one suffered a serious injury, burn or scarring because of a defective product that exploded or combusted? Don't try to handle a legal claim on your own. Call the experienced product injury attorneys at Edgar Snyder & Associates today so we can help fight for the financial compensation you deserve for:

• Current and future medical bills
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering

What to Do After being Injured in a Product Fire or Explosion

If you or someone you care about has been injured after a defective product exploded or caught fire, and you think you have a case, there are many important steps you should take to ensure a skilled product injury attorney can build the best possible case for you:

1. Get medical help.
2. Make an official report to the company, to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and, if applicable, your local police department.
3. Take photos of your injuries, the product, and any property damage.
4. Record the details. Write down everything you can remember from the accident-include the time of day, what you were doing right before the accident happened, and include the names of any witnesses.
5. Don't talk to an insurance adjuster. Sadly, insurance companies-even your own-often don't have your best interests at heart. Don't ever give a verbal or written statement before speaking to a product injury attorney.
6. Call an experienced attorney. Edgar Snyder & Associates has spent the last 30 years fighting for the rights of innocent people injured in accidents. Let us help. Give us a call today and we'll give you a free, no-obligation case review. You have nothing to lose because with us, there's never a fee unless we get money for you.

Who's Liable for My Product Injury?

It's a common question among our product injury clients: Who is responsible for my injury?

To determine this, the nature of the defect needs to be understood. There are three main types of product defects. They include:

• Design Defects
• Manufacturing Defects
• Marketing Defects

While design and manufacturing defects are self-explanatory, marketing defects refer to those caused by insufficient safety warnings, mislabeling, or incomplete instructions.

Then it's time to determine who's liable for the defective product that caused your injury.

The manufacturer, distributer, or the company that made a component of the defective product could be liable, and if they are, they are responsible for paying damages including:

• Current and future medical bills
• Compensation for lost wages
• Pain and suffering

Think You Have a Case?

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in an accident you believe was caused by a product's design, manufacturing or marketing defect, you likely want to know: Do I have a case?

That's where the product injury attorneys at Edgar Snyder & Associates come in. When you call our experienced legal team, we will go to work gathering the details of your accident to determine if you have a case.

Those details include:

• The severity of your injury
• Any hospital stays or surgeries-past and present
• Scarring
• Permanent damage to your health
• Evidence and eyewitness accounts

If you think you have a case, don't delay-there's a limited window of time to file product injury claims. Call Edgar Snyder & Associates today for a free case review.

How Much Does it Cost?

When you've recovering from injuries and burns from a product explosion, you probably have many worries. At Edgar Snyder & Associates, we don't think paying for top-notch legal representation should be one of them.

Our firm works on what's known as a contingency fee. That means there's never a fee unless we get money for you.

If you've been seriously injured by a defective product that exploded or caught fire, know that time is of the essence. There are strict deadlines to file product liability legal claims. Let us help you get the financial compensation you and your family deserve. Call Edgar Snyder & Associates today at for a free case review.

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