If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident involving a faulty battery explosion and fire, an experienced California Lithium Ion Battery Explosion Lawyer at Bisnar Chase can help you fight for compensation and justice for your losses.
- Almost one billion recovered
- 99% success in winning cases
- Familiar with all California courts.
Our product defect attorneys have the knowledge, experience, and resources to pursue your case and hold the defective product manufacturer accountable for putting a dangerous item on the market.
We understand the serious repercussions a burn injury or an explosion-related injury can have, not only on the victims but also on their families. Call us at (800) 561-4887 for more information about pursuing your legal rights.
California lithium ion explosion lawyers
What are Lithium-Ion Batteries?
Lithium-ion batteries are cells that power all the important electric devices we use today including but not limited to laptop computers, cellphones, tablets, and devices such as electronic cigarettes and even hoverboards. Lithium-ion batteries are a little different from the AA batteries that we use to power television remotes and other appliances.
Lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable and are often directly built into the devices. They also rely on lithium as their primary fuel. They are the batteries of choice for devices such as laptops and cell phones because they store energy super efficiently, which means they do not lose their charge quickly.
You get more battery power compared to older technologies and often two to four times the voltage.
How Do Lithium Batteries Work?
Like any other battery, lithium-ion batteries work by storing energy and releasing it through controlled chemical reactions. The battery has two electrodes – locations where electricity can enter or exit the battery. One of the electrodes, the anode, is filled with negatively charged ions while the other (the cathode) consists of positively charged ions and lithium.
When the battery is in use, the lithium moves from the cathode to the anode, and when the battery is in charge, the lithium moves back over to the cathode. There is a separator inside that prevents the anode and cathode from touching. That’s because, when they do touch, they could trigger explosions and fires.
Why Do Lithium Ion Batteries Explode?
One of the most common reasons why lithium-ion batteries can explode is because of manufacturing defects that could pose problems during or after charging. Overheating can also cause explosions, which is why your phone gives you a warning when your phone is too hot and needs to cool down.
Shoddy manufacturing is a common reason. If unwanted materials, such as scraps of metal, accidentally end up inside the battery when it’s being made, they can short a cell of the battery and cause an explosion. Using substandard parts could also pose this danger.
Chemical Reactions, Damage & Overcharging
Lithium-ion batteries can explode or catch fire due to a process called “thermal runaway.” This occurs when the battery’s internal temperature rises to a point where the chemical reactions inside the battery become self-sustaining and uncontrollable.
The high temperature can cause the battery’s electrolyte to break down, releasing flammable gases. These gases can ignite, causing the battery to catch fire or explode. To minimize the risk of explosion, lithium-ion batteries often include safety features such as temperature sensors, pressure vents, and circuit breakers.
Several factors can contribute to thermal runaway:
1. Overcharging: If a lithium-ion battery is charged beyond its maximum voltage, it can cause the battery to overheat and potentially explode.
2. Physical damage: If the battery is punctured, crushed, or subjected to strong impacts, it can cause a short circuit between the positive and negative electrodes, leading to rapid heat generation and possibly an explosion.
3. Manufacturing defects: Impurities or defects introduced during the manufacturing process can cause short circuits or other issues that may lead to thermal runaway.
4. Excessive temperature: Exposing the battery to high temperatures, such as leaving a device in direct sunlight or near a heat source, can cause the battery to overheat and increase the risk of thermal runaway.
5. Age and degradation: As lithium-ion batteries age, their internal resistance increases, and their capacity to store energy decreases. This can make them more susceptible to overheating and thermal runaway.
What To Do If a Lithium-Ion Battery Explodes
- Evacuate the area: Quickly move away from the location of the explosion and ensure that everyone nearby does the same. Lithium-ion battery explosions can release toxic gases and cause fires, so it’s essential to get to a safe distance.
- Call emergency services: If the explosion has caused a fire or if anyone is injured, call your local emergency services immediately.
- Use a fire extinguisher: If the explosion has caused a small fire and you have access to a fire extinguisher, use it to put out the flames. However, only attempt this if it is safe to do so.
- Do not touch the battery: Do not attempt to touch or move the exploded battery, as it may still be hot and could cause burns or other injuries.
- Ventilate the area: If the explosion occurred indoors, open windows and doors to allow any toxic gases to dissipate. If possible, use fans to help circulate the air and clear out any remaining fumes.
- Dispose of the battery properly: Once the situation is under control, contact the manufacturer or a local battery recycling facility for guidance on how to properly dispose of the damaged battery. Do not attempt to use or charge the battery again.
- Seek medical attention: If you or anyone else has been injured due to the explosion, seek medical attention as soon as possible, even if the injuries seem minor.
If you are deciding to take legal action, have your attorney safely store the battery for evidence in your case. The battery could be critical in proving liability.
If you’ve suffered burn or fire injuries from an exploding lithium-ion battery, call our personal injury lawyers for a free consultation. Call 800-561-4887.
Common Injuries Caused by Lithium Explosions
It is a fact that we keep our devices close by. We keep our cell phones in our pockets. We hold our laptops close to our bodies. E-cigarettes, when in use, are close to the face. Given the proximity of the batteries to our bodies, there is often the chance for serious bodily injury from a lithium-ion fire or explosion.
According to the U.S. National Fire Protection Association, there were 15 separate e-cigarette fire incidents in 2015. E-cigarettes have been reported to behave like “flaming rockets” when a lithium battery malfunctions.
Physicians in trauma and burn units across the country are seeing an increase in lithium-ion battery injuries. The flame burns and tissue blast injuries from an e-cigarette, for example, could affect the face and hands. Sometimes they could even result in life-changing injuries, such as a loss of eyesight.
When cell phones or e-cigarettes explode in pockets, they could result in second-degree and third-degree burn injuries, which may require skin grafts, and result in significant pain, scarring, and disfigurement.
- Burns
- Lacerations and puncture wounds
- Eye injuries
- Respiratory problems
- Hearing damage
- Concussions
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Psychological trauma (PTSD)
How Toxic Are the Fumes From Lithium Ion Batteries?
The fumes released from a lithium-ion battery explosion or fire can be very toxic and pose serious health risks. The main components of these fumes are:
1. Carbon monoxide (CO): This odorless, colorless gas is highly toxic and can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, and even death in high concentrations.
2. Hydrogen fluoride (HF): This highly corrosive and toxic gas can cause severe irritation to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. Exposure to high concentrations can lead to severe health effects, including bone damage and chronic lung disease.
3. Phosphoryl fluoride (POF3): This toxic gas can cause severe irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, as well as difficulty breathing and pulmonary edema (fluid accumulation in the lungs).
4. Hydrogen cyanide (HCN): This highly poisonous gas can cause rapid breathing, weakness, headaches, nausea, and even death in high concentrations.
5. Oxides of nickel, cobalt, lithium, copper, and aluminum: These metal oxides can cause respiratory irritation and other health problems when inhaled.
Due to the highly toxic nature of these fumes, it is crucial to evacuate the area immediately if a lithium-ion battery explodes or catches fire and to seek medical attention if you have been exposed to the fumes.
If you’ve been injured, call our California lithium ion battery exploding lawyers for a free consultation.
Liability Issues with Lithium Ion Batteries
When a lithium-ion battery malfunctions, there are a number of parties that could be held accountable for the injuries, damages, and losses caused, including manufacturers, retailers, distributors, etc. An experienced product liability attorney will be able to identify the responsible parties and help hold them accountable for the victim’s losses.
Injured victims can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. The worth or value of your claim will often depend on the nature and extent of your injuries and damages.
Call a top-rated California lithium-ion explosion lawyer today. 800-561-4887 for a free case review.
Top-Rated California Lithium Ion Battery Explosion Lawyer
If you have been injured by a lithium-ion battery explosion or fire involving a smartphone, e-cigarette, or some other device, it is critical to preserve the damaged product intact, so it can be examined for evidence of malfunctions and defects.
Take photographs of the scene where the incident occurred, the damaged parts, and your injuries. Contact an experienced lithium-ion explosion lawyer who has successfully handled similar cases.
The personal injury law firm of Bisnar Chase works with engineers and experts to determine the root cause of battery failure and trace the defect back to the manufacturing or design process.
We offer all our clients a no-win, no-fee guarantee, which means you don’t pay any fees or costs until we help secure compensation for your losses. Call us at (800) 561-4887 for a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation. Call our top-rated California lithium-ion explosion lawyers today. 800-561-4887 for a free consultation.
