Thousands of people in the United States are facing a vaping injury after using JUUL. Many are confused on what to do after a e-cigarette related illness. However, help is available to recover precious compensation to help with medical bills.
About JUUL
Makers of electronic cigarettes (also known as e-cigarettes, e-cigs, and vaping products) design them to look like cigarettes, writing pens, USB flash drives, and other common products. The devices have liquids with nicotine in a variety of flavors. The battery and heating coils warm the liquid to become vapor that users inhale.
The most common vaping instrument is JUUL. JUUL e-cigarettes use pods that look similar to a USB flash drive, but they contain dangerously high amounts of nicotine. One pod equals an entire pack of cigarettes. Also, the nicotine in a pod has a higher concentration of nicotine than cigarettes. Additionally, the body absorbs the nicotine at a higher rate.
Common Vaping Injuries
In 2016, Portland State University researchers found the presence of previously undiscovered forms of formaldehyde in e-cigarette vapor. The study revealed that e-cigarette vapor can contain formaldehyde at levels five to 15 times higher than the formaldehyde in regular cigarettes. Researchers detected chemicals when they set the vaping device used in their experiments at the high end of its heat settings.
Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen. Unlike gaseous formaldehyde, the newly discovered compounds are bound to particulates in the e-cigarette aerosols, enabling them to be deposited more deeply in the lungs than gaseous formaldehyde.
The researchers revisited the study. They found that both gaseous formaldehyde and the new formaldehyde compounds were detectable at levels above OSHA workplace limits even when e-cigarettes were operated at lower, more commonly used heat settings.
JUUL Vaping Side Effects
The FDA has received numerous reports of JUUL users, primarily teenagers and young adults, who have become addicted to the devices and even some who have suffered seizures and convulsions as a result of nicotine poisoning and toxicity.
Symptoms of nicotine poisoning include:
- Blood clots
- Convulsions
- Embolisms
- Elevated blood pressure
- Heart injuries
- Joint pain
- Seizures
- Strokes
Popcorn Lung
In 2015, Harvard researchers found diacetyl, a flavoring chemical linked to cases of severe respiratory disease in more than 75% of flavored electronic cigarettes and refill liquids. The researchers also found tow other potentially harmful related compounds in many of the tested flavors, which included varieties with potential appeal to young people such as Cotton Candy, Fruit Squirts, and Cupcake.
These chemicals can cause the development of bronchiolitis obliterans, a serious lung disease that is irreversible, and commonly known as “popcorn lung”. Symptoms of popcorn lung include coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath, similar to the symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
When heated, vape products can produce particles of heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, and nickel, all of which can become lodged in lung tissue.
Cancer
In addition to the danger of nicotine addiction and poisoning, researchers have identified a number of other serious health risks associated with the practice of vaping. In April 2018, the Journal of Pediatrics published a report about the carcinogenic effects of the flavoring chemicals used in vape juice to provide fruit flavors.
Some vape liquids contain nitrosamines, which are known to cause cancer.
Other JUUL side effects include:
- Addiction
- Coma due to Nicotine positioning
- Bleeding in the lungs (study in Guam but not a strong one)
- Bronchial Pneumonia
- Collapsed lung
- Leukemia
- Lipoid Pneumonia
- Lung, Bladder or Throat cancer
- Seizures due to Nicotine poisoning
- Vaping-related illness
EVALI
CDC coined a new term for a vaping injury – E-vaping Associated Lung Injury (EVALI). Hospitalization was required in 96% EVALI cases. Symptoms include oxygen stats less than 95% with breathing that worsens within 48 hours. A chest X-ray will show glass opacification 12 hours of presentation.
As of October 22, 2019, 34 deaths in patients with e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury (EVALI) have been reported to CDC. Of the 29 deaths among patients with EVALI analyzed in today’s report, 59% were men and the median age was 45 years. Patients with EVALI who died were older than the overall population of EVALI patients.
Also, researchers found Vitamin E Acetate in patients with EVALI (used in skin creams, no studies to see if it can be inhaled).
Help after Vaping Injury
There are currently three litigation tracks under MDL 2918. This includes individuals getting compensation for their personal injury. Also, schools, municipalities and state governments are also suing to regain expenses. Additionally, class action suites are in the MDL as well. Currently, Honorable Judge William Orrick in the US District of Northern District of California is presiding over MDL 2918. Attorneys have filed a few Case Management Orders, but there is still time to have your case included.
How We Can Help
When you experience an injury, it can have devastating effects on your entire life. Compensation for injuries and damages could be available.
The recoverable losses include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Vaping detectors
- Metal detectors
- Cession programs
- Health/Emergency kits
- School counselors
- Resource officers
- Disciplinary staff
- Loss of an ability to work; and
- Pain and suffering
The Michael Brady Lynch Firm is experienced in product liability claims. Our law firm has an experienced team of trial lawyers who focus on the representation of plaintiffs in JUUL vaping lung lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new electronic cigarette injury and death cases in all 50 states. Therefore, call today for a free consultation.