Dozens of e-cigarette users around the United States have filed lawsuits after claiming the devices exploded while being used.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the lawsuits have been filed against e-cigarette manufacturers and sellers by users in Florida, New York, California and other states. The lawsuits typically focus on "cheaply made lithium-ion batteries" that are contained in the devices.
One user who was injured by a defective device told the Wall Street Journal her e-cigarette exploded in her mouth, "ripping a hole" in her mouth and burning other parts of her body as battery acid spilled onto her.
These lawsuits aren't the first of their kind. In October 2015, a California woman was awarded $1.9 million after her e-cigarette exploded as she charged the device in her car. The woman suffered second-degree burns to multiple parts of her body, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Surveillance video from a gas station in Kentucky showed a man's e-cigarette exploding in his pocket in February. The man suffered second-degree burns.
According to the Wall Street Journal, e-cigarette industry groups argue that such incidents are "negligible, considering the overall number of e-cigarette users, and that accidents are often the result of user error."
Clint Davis is a reporter for the Scripps National News Desk. Follow him on Twitter @MrClintDavis.
