Finding the Right JUUL Lawsuit Lawyer
Legally Reviewed and Edited by: Terry Cochran
A growing number of lawsuits around the United States against JUUL and other e-cigarette manufacturers are raising the general public’s awareness of the dangers of these products. E-cigarette use, once advertised as harmless, poses a problem to consumers, especially children and teens.
There is an increasing number of people around the country who are finding they were deliberately misled about the product. If you or someone you love have consumed JUUL products and sustained health problems such as lung damage, nicotine addiction, or other adverse effects, as a result, you may want to pursue damages.
If you are considering seeking compensation, you need a reputable JUUL lawsuit lawyer with experience in both the product and medical liability fields to represent you. The lawyers at Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. have a nuanced understanding of the developing litigation against JUUL and other e-cigarette manufacturers.
What is JUUL?
JUUL is the most widespread brand of e-cigarette in the United States, which is the largest market in the world for e-cigarettes and vaping devices. E-cigarettes are also known as vapes and are designed as an alternative to traditional cigarettes. JUUL and other manufacturers tout them as being a safer alternative to smoking. However, this is false, and an increasing number of lawsuits against JUUL allege that JUUL’s marketing campaigns have been deliberately misleading consumers.
How Does JUUL Work?
An e-cigarette or vape pen is a battery-operated device that heats liquid nicotine. The liquid is stored in a JUUL pod, inserted into a cartridge, and inhaled through a mouthpiece at the tip of the device. The device vaporizes the heated liquid into an aerosol that users inhale. However, evidence points to the fact that vaping JUUL nicotine may be even more dangerous than smoking cigarettes because the amount of nicotine and the speed with which it is ingested surpass traditional cigarettes.
Is JUUL Dangerous?
Yes, JUUL is hazardous to your health. JUUL use has been linked to increased nicotine addiction, seizures, and deadly lung conditions that have led to fatalities.
The U.S. Surgeon General has stated that there is a “youth vaping epidemic” in the United States, with at least two million minors thought to be addicted to vaping. The company’s insistence that its product was safe was long accepted at face value.
JUUL Labs, Inc. was able to flood the market with its products without regulatory oversight. In reality, JUUL users are exposed to harmful chemicals such as nicotine, carbonyl compounds, and other volatile organic compounds. The flavors in e-liquids contain a chemical named diacetyl, resulting in the lung disease known as popcorn lung.
JUUL Popcorn Lung
The flavors in the JUUL e-liquids containing diacetyl may, in extreme cases, result in the lung disease bronchiolitis obliterans, also known as popcorn lung. The disease is incurable. The lung’s tiniest airways, the bronchioles, become scarred and narrowed, leading to irreversible respiratory trouble.
What are the Dangers of Vaping?
The main danger of vaping is rapidly developing a nicotine addiction that can lead to severe lung diseases and even death. The extremely high nicotine levels in a single vape pod amount to more than a whole pack of cigarettes and are consumed far more rapidly, leading to nicotine poisoning and seizures. Extended vaping over a long period can cause permanent lung damage.
What are the Side Effects of Using JUUL?
The short-term side effects of using JUUL e-cigarettes are usually sore throat, coughing, dry mouth, shortness of breath, headaches, and nausea. The exact long-term effects are currently unknown but could include lung injuries, respiratory problems, reproductive problems, and potential heart attack.
Is JUUL Safer Than Cigarettes?
Researchers have found that e-cigarette smokers were exposed to more negative heart disease factors, like LDL cholesterol. E-cigarettes may decrease the blood flow to the heart more than tobacco cigarettes, according to one of the recent studies conducted by the American Heart Association.
JUUL Addiction
It has been proven beyond doubt that JUUL devices and JUUL nicotine pods are addictive, despite the company stating explicitly that they are not as addictive as cigarettes in their marketing and advertising campaigns.
How Addictive is a JUUL Device?
The National Institutes of Health call nicotine as addictive as cocaine or heroin. Nicotine is absorbed into the blood and starts affecting the brain within ten seconds. Considering the increased dosage of nicotine ingested within an even shorter period when someone vapes, a JUUL device is highly addictive.
How Much Nicotine is in a JUUL Pod?
JUUL Labs itself reports that its pods contain roughly 40 milligrams of nicotine each, which it says is approximately equivalent to one pack of cigarettes. However, this is considerably more than the previous generations of e-cigarette brands, according to a study from UC San Francisco.
How JUUL Contributes to Addiction in Teens
A Congressional review of JUUL Labs’ own internal documentation has found that the company deployed sophisticated programs and marketing techniques borrowed from the tobacco industry to market highly addictive vaping products to young people, high school students, and even children as young as eight years old.
How is JUUL Targeting Children and Teens?
Investigations have shown that JUUL deliberately targeted children and teens using various methods, including stealth marketing and high nicotine doses to circumvent adult control and addict kids to its vaping products. These methods have included:
Marketing to Youths
JUUL’s advertising campaigns targeted youth-oriented social media channels, and the company paid schools to let company representatives deliver their message directly to children. They also used copycat advertising mimicking the youth-oriented ads previously used by tobacco companies. They even went as far as to purchase banner ads on websites designed for child audiences, such as Nickelodeon or the Cartoon Network.
Enticing Flavors
The wide range of fruity or sweet flavors available in nicotine pods such as mango or cotton candy was designed to entice teens to try electronic cigarettes. The range of flavors was also used to make them more likely to maintain the habit over the longer term, increasing their consumption, according to a study conducted by the medical journal Pediatrics.
High Nicotine Content
The advertising methods combined with the high nicotine content in JUUL’s vaping pods ensured that children would become addicted before their parents even noticed or were able to take action. This was reinforced by the design of the devices, rendering them easy to conceal, which, combined with the lack of traditional smoke smell from the devices, allowed kids to conceal their vaping activities from their parents.
Who is Eligible to File a JUUL Lawsuit?
Three broad categories of plaintiffs are eligible to file a JUUL lawsuit: minors who have developed a nicotine addiction as a result of using JUUL products, individuals who have experienced seizures as a consequence of nicotine poisoning from using JUUL products, and individuals who have developed popcorn lung as a result of vaping.
Can I File a Claim on Behalf of My Child?
Yes. If you are a parent or the legal guardian of a child or teen who has become addicted to nicotine due to JUUL, you have the right to file a lawsuit and seek compensation on their behalf.
Is There an Age Limit for a JUUL lawsuit?
The age range for filing a lawsuit against JUUL depends on what basis you are filing and whether you were previously using nicotine products. Adults up to 26 years old and minors under 18 may choose to file an addiction claim, as can any victims who had no previous usage of nicotine products prior to using JUUL products. The same applies to physical injuries or ailments as a result of JUUL products, permitted adults over age 26 filing were previously non-smokers.
Why are JUUL Lawsuits Focused on Teens and Young Adults?
Studies of JUUL’s marketing practices have revealed they specifically targeted teens. According to a 2019 paper by the Stanford University School of Medicine, JUUL’s advertising imagery in its first six months on the market was patently youth oriented. This means teens and young adults were even more vulnerable to the company’s misleading claims.
How Do You Choose a Lawyer Who is Right for You and Your E-cigarette Lawsuit?
If you wish to pursue an e-cigarette lawsuit, it is crucial to hire an attorney who understands what type of lawsuit you should file. E-cigarette lawsuits usually fall under the categories of either product liability, medical lawsuits, or both.
In a product liability lawsuit, you and your attorney have to prove that the product is defective or that it was distributed with knowledge of potential health hazards not disclosed to the consumer. In a medical liability or injury lawsuit, the burden of proof is on you and your attorney to determine a direct connection between the health issue and the use of the product.
JUUL Addiction Lawyers
Ideally, if you choose to pursue a JUUL lawsuit, you will select an attorney specializing in JUUL and e-cigarette addiction cases. If you are in the state of Michigan and are experiencing health issues due to smoking JUUL or another brand of e-cigarette, contact the Law Offices of Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. immediately. A skilled attorney can help you file a JUUL or e-cigarette lawsuit.
Our Experienced JUUL Lawsuit Team
If you or someone you love has become a nicotine addict or developed a lung condition due to JUUL’s addictive products and misleading advertising, you should consider seeking compensation. The team at Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. can help you determine your eligibility to file a JUUL lawsuit.
Senior partner Eileen Kroll is both an attorney and a registered nurse who is well-versed in court cases related to e-cigarette dangers and is qualified to investigate your claim. You can schedule a free consultation by calling our law firm at 1-866-MICH-LAW .
In the event of a JUUL lawsuit, our contingency fee means Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. only get paid if we win your case.
FAQs
Can I file a lawsuit against JUUL?
Yes. People who have used JUUL or other e-cigarette brands and who can demonstrate that they have suffered addiction, illness, or injury may qualify to file a lawsuit against JUUL and may be entitled to compensation.
Has anyone won a lawsuit against JUUL?
There are well over 50 lawsuits underway that include private civil actions and class-action lawsuits. On June 28th, 2021, North Carolina became the first state to successfully hold JUUL Labs, Inc. accountable for creating a youth vaping epidemic. JUUL agreed to pay the state $40 million in damages and to change its business practices.
How much can you get from a JUUL lawsuit?
Most JUUL lawsuits are still underway, so there is no benchmark yet for how much you can get from a JUUL lawsuit. It will depend on the ruling after a trial addressing the extent of damages you’ve sustained, or it may be settled out of court by JUUL. The compensation varies greatly depending on circumstances, but some cases have settled for $1 million or more.
Which states are suing JUUL?
New York, California, Illinois, Minnesota, Arizona, North Carolina, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, and several others are suing JUUL. A coalition of 39 states, including Michigan, have joined an investigation into JUUL’s health claims and marketing tactics.
Disclaimer : The information provided is general and not for legal advice. The blogs are not intended to provide legal counsel and no attorney-client relationship is created nor intended.