Vape pens were marketed as a safe alternative to cigarettes. Without the particulates produced by the combustion of tobacco and cigarette paper, chemical vapors would seem less harmful than smoke, and manufacturers like Juul encouraged this belief. But it turns out that these messages might have misled consumers, particularly teenagers, about the dangers of vaping.
The company that made Juul vape pens has settled false advertising lawsuits with states and deceived consumers. But it is still fighting personal injury lawsuits.
A Kansas City product liability attorney from Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers can help you understand the claims you could bring for the injuries you suffered due to vaping. Contact our law firm at (816) 408-3448 for a free consultation to discuss your situation.
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How Our Product Liability Lawyers Can Help If You’ve Suffered Injuries from Using a Juul Vape Pen in Kansas City, MO
Since 2002, Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers has provided legal representation to injured clients in Kansas City, Missouri. Our attorneys have recovered over $70 million in compensation for victims like you.
If you were injured by using a vape pen, our Kansas City product liability lawyers can provide:
- A thorough investigation into the dangerous product that injured you
- A free consultation to explain your legal options under Missouri law
- Seasoned litigators to fight the product manufacturer for fair compensation
Injuries from defective products can cause lifelong health problems. Contact Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers to discuss your injuries and how we can help you pursue compensation for them. We offer a free initial consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Kansas City, MO.
Is Vaping Dangerous?
Vaping is dangerous on several levels. Vape products use additives that have an unknown effect over the long term. And the primary chemical delivered by vaping — nicotine — is addictive.
As of 2020, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) identified 2,807 people diagnosed with e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury (EVALI). Of these, 68 had died. The CDC has linked a chemical called vitamin E acetate as the cause of EVALI. This chemical was not approved for use in vapes. Instead, it appeared in unregulated, homemade vape juices.
But vape juice that does not contain vitamin E acetate still contains other dangerous chemicals like:
- Nicotine, the addictive compound produced by tobacco
- Heavy metals, like lead, that cause neurological diseases
- Volatile organic compounds that have been linked to cancer
Over time, users of vape devices, like the Juul vape pen, may develop a range of diseases and physical injuries due to the dangerous chemicals used in vaping liquids.
Legal Claims Involving Juul Vape Pens
Juul was one of the first companies to achieve widespread distribution of e-cigarette products. Their original product was a small, disposable electronic vaporizer. The vaporizer instantly converted vape juice from a liquid to a vapor that a user would inhale. This system provided an alternative to cigarettes for delivering nicotine into the lungs.
Cigarette smoke contains many dangerous substances, including:
- Particulates
- Carbon monoxide
- Tar
- Ammonia
- Formaldehyde
- Arsenic
Decades of research have established that cigarette smoke causes lung cancer and other health problems.
Vaporizers do not use combustion. Instead, they use an electric heating element to rapidly heat the vape juice. As a result, vapes do not produce combustion products like particulates, tar, and carbon monoxide.
Juul took advantage of this pre-conception and even incorporated safety into its marketing message. Young people who might have avoided smoking due to its health dangers might have nonetheless become addicted to vaping due to Juul’s marketing.
Juul has faced three types of claims:
State Claims of False Advertising
Juul was sued by several states, alleging the company violated their laws against false advertising. Missouri has not filed such a lawsuit. At its heart, these lawsuits asserted that Juul had misled consumers about their products by marketing them as safe and non-addicting.
States brought these claims to punish the company for its deceptive sales practices. They did not bring them to recover money for vape users.
False Advertising Class Action
A class-action lawsuit was filed against Juul on behalf of individuals misled by the company’s advertising. Juul agreed to settle the claim for $255 million. Users deceived by the company’s marketing message could get paid from the settlement. The claim period ended on July 14, 2023.
This lawsuit was only intended to resolve the false advertising claims, not the personal injury claims. As a result, the amount a claimant could recover was based on the amount they spent buying Juul products.
Product Liability Claims
Product liability claims are used to recover damages for injuries caused by defective products. In the case of Juul products, people have asserted that vape pens were inherently defective because they deposited dangerous chemicals into the lungs. They also had defective warnings because they failed to explain how dangerous and addictive the products were.
The company is fighting these lawsuits. It feels that settling these lawsuits could expose the company to billions of dollars in economic damages due to the medical bills incurred by Juul vape users.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Kansas City Product Liability Lawyers To Discuss Your Juul Vape Pen Injuries
Vaping-related lung damage may cause long-term disabilities that prevent you from working. They may even be fatal. Contact Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers at (816) 408-3448 for a free consultation to discuss your vaping injuries and your potential claims against Juul or other vape manufacturers.
Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in Kansas City, MO
Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Kansas City Office
1509 NE Parvin Rd Ste A,
Kansas City, MO 64116
(816) 408-3448
Open 24/7