Vaping companies have been making headlines since e-cigarettes became the latest trend. Often advertised as an alternative to smoking, e-cigarettes allow people to inhale “vapor” without actually smoking. And they quickly became a hot trend.
Unfortunately, no one really knew how safe vaping was. Recently, U.S. officials have started noticing concerning health problems among those who vape. Several deaths and potentially hundreds of illnesses are being tied to e-cigarettes. And many of those affected are young people – some as young as teenagers.
As a result, people are beginning to file lawsuits on behalf of these young consumers. Lawyers are seeing a huge wave of clients who want to open lawsuits against vaping companies like JUUL Labs. Some firms are seeing as many as 50 calls per day about vaping lawsuits.
If you’ve been affected by vaping, or someone in your life has experienced vaping-related health issues, you could be eligible to file a lawsuit of your own. Here’s how you can find out if you’re eligible, and how you can begin the process.
Eligibility for Vaping Lawsuits
Before you can file and prepare a lawsuit against vaping companies, you’ll need to determine whether or not you have a case.
Currently, American attorneys are taking cases on behalf of teens. These teenagers became addicted to vaping – commonly to Juul products in particular – without understanding the risks involved. As a result, they’ve experienced injuries.
So, if you are or know a teenager whose health has been affected by vaping, you may have a case. In particular, you’ll want to assess whether you or the teen you’re filing a lawsuit on behalf of has experienced any of the following injuries:
- Severe addiction.
- Vaping lung, a lung condition that’s directly connected to vaping.
- Lung or respiratory failure.
- Nicotine poisoning.
- Mental health or behavioral issues, including suicidal thoughts.
- Seizures.
- Strokes.
- Heart problems, including heart attacks, new heart problems, and cardiovascular disease.
If other complications have been experienced, they could also help make your legal case.
Filing a Vaping Lawsuit
Once you’ve determined that your potential lawsuit is valid and eligible, it’s time to file. And in order to do this, you and your lawyer will need to build your case by collecting evidence.
A strong vaping lawsuit will include plenty of evidence that you or the person you’re filing on behalf of have been harmed by vaping companies. Your lawyer will help you with this process, but you can begin collecting information on your own.
First and foremost, it’s important that you stop using vaping products. If you – or the person you’re filing for – has already experienced injuries, don’t exacerbate them. Getting back to good health should be the first priority.
Next, you’ll want to gather documentation of vaping and e-cigarette use. This evidence can include items like:
- Receipts or billing information that prove you purchased vaping products.
- Photos or videos of you using vaping products.
- Personal accounts of your e-cigarette use.
Additionally, you’ll want to gather together any and all medical records associated with vaping. Any record of seeing a doctor or medical professional for vaping-related injuries or illnesses is important. Hospital bills, medical records from doctors, and exam information are all key.
Your final step in preparing and filing your lawsuit will be assessing damages. This is essentially the process of estimating how much vaping has affected you or the person you’re filing on behalf of. These damages can include the costs associated with injuries, like medical bills. But they can also include non-tangible costs, like pain and suffering experienced as a result of medical issues and vaping addiction.
Your vaping lawyer will be able to help you accurately assess potential damages. Make sure to work with them to make the most solid legal case possible.
How to Hire a Vaping Lawyer
If you’re ready to build your case, it’s time to hire a lawyer who can help. Fortunately, with the influx of vaping lawsuits happening today, it’s easy to find a vaping lawyer.
You can search online to find attorneys in your area. Online, you’ll find databases filled with lawyers who have experience in many different areas. You can also search specifically for vaping lawyers or lawyers who are taking vaping cases.More and more people have legitimate cases against vaping companies. And that’s allowing more lawyers to take on vaping cases.
Many lawyers are even willing to consult with potential clients for free. Just ask potential lawyers if they’ll offer a free consultation when you contact them. That gives you the opportunity to have a legal professional assess your vaping lawsuit before you pay a single cent.