Lithium-Ion Battery Fires Are Driving A New Wave Of Product Liability Lawsuits

Lithium-ion batteries are used to power many of the products that people use on a daily basis. These include e-bikes, electronic scooters, laptops, power tools, and your latest smartphone. Although these batteries are quite efficient and light in weight, there is no denying the fact that they are also quite dangerous. Over the past few years, there has been an increase in the number of battery-related fires and explosions. This has led to a rise in the number of product liability lawsuits. 

Why lithium-ion batteries can be dangerous 

Lithium-ion batteries are capable of storing a lot of energy and are compact. When designed and manufactured well, they are generally safe. However, when defects are present, a condition called thermal runaway can occur. The battery overheats, ignites, and explodes.

Causes of battery fires include:

• Defective battery cells or use of low-quality materials
• Lack of thermal protection or poor insulation
• Defective charging system of power adapters
• Overcharging or absence of automatic shutdown devices
• Poor assembly or defective battery casings

If a battery is defective and catches fire, the flames are very difficult to extinguish, and the fire burns at a very high temperature, causing severe injuries. 

Products frequently involved in battery fires 

Product liability lawsuits against lithium-ion batteries are often the result of the following consumer products:

• Electric bicycles and scooters
• Hoverboards and personal mobility devices
• Power tools and tool battery packs
• Laptops, tablets, and smartphones
• Portable charges and power banks

In many product liability lawsuits, the product was sold on an online marketplace like Amazon. This makes the question of legal responsibility a serious concern. 

Legal theories and lithium-ion battery lawsuits 

Injured consumers can bring product liability claims on various theories. These include: 

• Design defect – These claims argue that the battery had a design defect due to poor engineering, insufficient management of heat, and insufficient safety redundancies. 

• Manufacturing defect – Focuses on the production process and argues that the battery failed due to contaminated cells, poor materials, or poor assembly. 

• Failure to warn – Claims the companies failed to give adequate instructions on how to charge the battery, what chargers to use, fire hazards, and proper storage.

In some cases, the plaintiffs also bring negligence claims, arguing that the company failed to test the batteries or address safety concerns. 

Roll of recalls and safety warnings 

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled many lithium-ion battery-related products. Although a recall alone is not conclusive evidence of product liability, it is an important tool that shows a product was dangerous to consumers. Fires occurring before or after a recall are also relevant, especially when consumers were not adequately informed of the recall. 

Talk to a Florida Product Liability Lawyer Today 

Did you suffer burns and scarring due to a lithium-ion battery fire? If so, you’re entitled to compensation. Call the Florida personal injury lawyers at Halpern, Santos & Pinkert today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin investigating your claims right away.