If you or your child has been injured through the use of e-cigarettes made by JUUL Labs, Inc., you may be eligible for financial compensation for the harm you suffered by bringing a lawsuit against the company. This is not something you need to go through alone. There is help available through legal advice and guidance from a New York personal injury attorney.
The JUUL mass tort lawyer in Brookhaven, NY, at Gacovino, Lake & Associates, P.C., will examine the facts of your individual case and help you determine the best approach to take. We will work to hold JUUL and any other parties involved accountable, so you can concentrate on helping yourself or your loved on.
We offer a free initial consultation, so contact us at (631) 600-0000 right away.
How Electronic Cigarettes Do Damage
Smoking e-cigarettes, or “vaping,” has been marketed as being safer and less addictive than smoking and a method to help former smokers ditch their smoking habit. The effects have been shown to be the opposite, according to some studies.
While e-cigarettes may feel smoother to smoke, the vapor they produce is an aerosol that contains chemicals and fine particles, many of which are toxic.
For example, a JUUL cartridge, called a “pod,” contains liquid made up of benzoic acid, flavoring, propylene glycol, glycerol, and 40 mg of nicotine. This is about the amount found in an entire pack of cigarettes and is more than twice the amount found in rival e-cigarette products.
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance, and people who start using e-cigarettes often go on to smoke regular cigarettes as well. In addition to being addictive, nicotine can impair lung development and brain development if it is utilized during adolescence, and it is toxic to fetuses. Also, benzoic acid, which has been linked to causing vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, sore throat, and coughs through constant exposure, is a carcinogenic found in JUUL.
In addition to nicotine addiction, some of the side effects and health issues that have been linked to use of JUUL e-cigarettes include:
- Lung damage
- Heart disease
- Seizures and brain damage
- Cancer
- Burns from exploding devices
- Death
JUUL’s Aggressive Marketing to Young People
JUUL gears its marketing to target impressionable young people by:
- Using social media channels young people frequent like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
- Designing vaping devices to look like a USB flash drive, which is easy to conceal from parents and teachers.
- Flavoring e-cigarettes to appeal to young people, with flavors like mango, pancake syrup, or strawberry milk.
- Creating artwork that appeals to young people, featuring them doing fun things and using cartoons, animals, and school colors.
As a result of JUUL’s focus on youth, the U.S. General Surgeon has released an advisory calling e-cigarettes a “national epidemic” among teens. The report includes data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration’s National Youth Tobacco Survey.
It shows that the percentage of high school-age children reporting past 30-day use of e-cigarettes rose by more than 75% and use among middle school-age children increased nearly 50% between 2017 and 2018.
Lawsuits Against JUUL
Manufacturers are required to ensure their products are not dangerous or defective and to post warnings about any dangers involved with the product. If they do not, they can be prosecuted under New York’s product liability laws. Instead of providing warnings and disclosing the health risks from using their product, JUUL claimed e-cigarettes were safe and marketed them to young people.
As a result, New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit against JUUL Labs, Inc. for deceptive and misleading marketing of its e-cigarettes, which contributed to the ongoing youth vaping epidemic in New York State. The lawsuit, alleges that JUUL:
- Engaged in deceptive business practices when marketing and advertising;
- Illegally sold its products to minors through its website and in third-party retail stores throughout the state;
- Caused large numbers of New York youth to become addicted to nicotine; and
- Misled consumers by failing to warn that JUUL contained nicotine and by misrepresenting JUUL as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes.
New York is not the only state that is suing or planning to sue JUUL. As of November 2019, the Wall Street Journal reports that federal prosecutors are also investigating JUUL.
Consumers harmed by JUUL have the option of fighting back through filing a lawsuit against the company for their aggressive marketing campaigns and targeting of young people to create a new generation of nicotine addicts. A lawsuit may also be based on product liability by proving JUUL is a dangerous and defective product.
Our legal team is available and committed to holding JUUL accountable for the health damages to our population. Contact our lawyers today at (631) 600-0000 to find out how.
You May Be Entitled to Compensation
Anyone who suffered injury from vaping may be entitled to file a lawsuit against not only JUUL but also the company that designed, manufactured, and/or sold the product. When you file a lawsuit, you can seek monetary damages to compensate for:
- Medical and rehabilitative bills
- Lost income and wages
- Disability
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Pain, suffering, and emotional distress.
Get Help From Our New York JUUL Mass Tort Lawyers
If you or a loved one were injured by JUUL, you may be eligible to participate in an e-cigarette lawsuit that will hold JUUL accountable for damages the company created.
The JUUL mass tort lawyers at Gacovino, Lake & Associates, P.C., in Brookhaven, NY, know the seriousness of the effects of JUUL, understand what you are going through, and have the resources to help you fight for the settlement you deserve. We can take steps to help establish your case, handle communications and file appropriate papers, gather evidence and interview witnesses, and represent you in court.
Contact us today for your free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your situation and answer your questions at (631) 600-0000. You pay nothing unless and until we win for you.
