Lithium Battery Fire Lawsuit Injury Lawyer
Houston Fire Hazard Attorney
Lithium-ion batteries are a popular source of power for a broad range of electronic products today. Most laptops and smartphones are powered by lithium batteries, as are Tesla cars and other electric vehicles, e-bicycles, skateboards, scooters, e-cigarettes, lighters, flashlights, and many other popular household products. Lithium has its advantages over traditional battery material, but when lithium explodes and catches fire, the results can be life-changing, even catastrophic.
Lithium Battery Recall & Liability
Many Lithium ion batteries or products that contain them have been recalled. Following accidents and battery failures, certain lots of lithium-ion batteries were recalled. Sony recalled more than 9.6 million batteries, Dell laptops held more than 4 million of the recalled batteries, while 1.8 million were inside Apple products. See a partial listing of some recent recalls at this link: Consumeraffairs.com/lithium-ion-batteries
We may file or settle a claim individually or as part of a group on a case-by-case basis.
Whether your claim is filed individually or as part of a group fighting the same defendant, our goal is always to provide each of our clients with individual attention.
How Do Lithium-ion Batteries Work and Why Do They Explode?
A process called thermal runaway can cause batteries to explode. Thermal runaway occurs when a temperature increase changes the conditions in a way that triggers a further temperature increase. Lithium ion batteries are made of layers of metallic material separated by a porous liquid electrolyte film. When overheated, this pressurized flammable electrolyte can form a gas, explode from the battery container, and start a fire. A battery that produces more heat than it can handle can explode, or the heat from the battery can reach the ignition point of materials surrounding the battery, causing them to burn.
Lithium-ion batteries can be damaged or caused to fail by:
- Heat over 140 degrees Fahrenheit
- Overcharging or using incompatible charger
- Design flaws (cut-off switch, temp. regulation defects)
- Physical damage — crush, puncture
- Product tampering
- Touching metal, keys, coins, etc.
A battery that fails and explodes can burn users or cause a fire. Battery failure injuries can include:
- Body burns
- Facial burns
- Fire, destruction of personal property
- Fire, destruction of a dwelling
Dangers of Overheating
Lithium ion batteries can overheat, even to the point of reaching the ignition point of the product they are powering. Overheating can easily start a fire that can injure a Lithium product user, as well as family members or neighbors of the product’s user. That far-reaching damage occurred in a 2021 New York apartment building fire, which began after an e-bike caught fire while a resident was charging it inside.
In addition, millions of batteries have been recalled due to potential explosions that can arise from manufacturing defects.
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Lithium ion vs. Traditional Batteries
Compared with traditional batteries, Lithium ion batteries feature a high energy density, small memory effect, and they lose their charge very slowly when idle. Lithium has the highest energy density by weight, which makes it a popular choice for rechargeable batteries.
Many products are powered by Lithium-ion batteries:
- Bluetooth devices
- Cellular phones and cordless phones (batteries and cases)
- Digital cameras
- Electric Vehicles (EVs)
- Electric, bicycles, scooters
- Electronic cigarettes
- GPS devices
- Hoverboards (self-balancing scooters)
- Laptops and tablets
- Power banks
- Power tools and garden tools
- Smart watches
- Solar panels
- Vapes
- Variety of toys
- Wireless headphones
100% Free Legal Consultation
If you were injured by a lithium battery, email us or call a product liability lawyer at (888) 923-7001