As a parent or a caretaker for a child, it’s hard to keep track of everything your child has or does. No matter how attentive you are, you can still miss key signs that your child is playing with a dangerous toy. Even though the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has regulations for toys and monitors their production, sometimes dangerous toys slip through the cracks.

E-cigarettes are a popular alternative to smoking. While people who have used cigarettes may quit to use e-cigarettes, there is another demographic of people who vape without having used cigarettes before. Unfortunately, vaping poses many health risks and has caused illnesses and deaths. As more people are being hospitalized and treated for these illnesses, health experts are looking closely at vaping to see what exactly is causing health complications. If you or a loved one has been hurt because of vaping, you may have grounds for compensation. Solomon Law Group can help you file a Columbia JUUL e-cigarette lawsuit and will do everything possible to get you full and fair compensation.

Getting treatment for a vaping-related illness may take longer than you think. If your lungs are affected and you have trouble breathing, you may need to stay in the hospital until your lungs heal and you can breathe without issues. During this time, you may miss work as well as social events or activities that you used to enjoy. Missing out on life in addition to having a pile of medical bills is a lot for one person to handle. Let our firm help you fight for a settlement that covers the economic and noneconomic damages of your vape injury.

There are many unknowns about vaping, which can make these lawsuits complex. It’s best to have representation with a firm grasp of the law and knowledge about these cases so your e-cigarette lawsuit can be as strong as possible.

Vaping-Related Injuries and Deaths

According to the Chicago Tribune, about 1,000 cases of vaping illnesses are being investigated. 26 of those cases were fatal. Because vaping is relatively new, there isn’t a lot of information on how vaping affects the body for short-term and long-term use. However, as health officials learn more, it’s becoming clear that vaping does include a number of risks.

Those who try to quit may have a hard time because they could experience withdrawal, which is an unpleasant experience and often results in people going back to vaping. On the other side of it, people who are trying to quit and need help have been reported as saying they didn’t realize vaping was so dangerous to their health.

One of the main factors of the e-cigarette crisis is the amount of misinformation out there. Take the JUUL marketing campaign for example. JUUL had a massive social media presence including posts for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Their posts featured good-looking models using JUUL while they were partying or in another social setting. The message was clear: JUULing is an experience that you shouldn’t miss out on.

In addition to selling the JUUL lifestyle, they also said the following about their products:

• JUUL is “much safer than cigarettes” and “totally safe.”
• JUUL said, “the FDA was about to come out and say it was 99% safer than cigarettes.”

The FDA sent JUUL a warning letter because they marketed unauthorized modified risk tobacco products. In order to market a product as a modified risk tobacco product, it needs to have FDA approval. JUUL did not have approval.

Because many people may not know just how dangerous using e-cigarettes is, they may have been damaging their bodies without even knowing it. Let’s take a look at how e-cigarettes work and how they can potentially harm users.

How Do E-Cigarettes Cause Harm?

While the reasons for the connection isn’t clear, there are links between vaping and lung disease. Harvard Health Publishing mentioned in an article that nearly 200 e-cigarette users now have severe lung disease. This phenomenon isn’t contained to one particular area—it spans over 22 states.

A contaminant is suspected to be the cause of the lung disease. It could be from:

• Chemical irritation
• Allergic reactions
• Immune reactions

What’s crucial for people to understand is they’re inhaling more than just water vapor and flavoring. E-cigarette liquid contains glycerin, propylene glycol, nicotine, flavorings, and more. When the liquid heats and turns into an aerosol, users inhale metals, diacetyl, and a flavoring chemical, along with other dangerous chemicals.

Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that is extremely harmful to teenagers because of how it affects the brain. As teenagers’ brains are still developing, nicotine inhibits that growth. Teenagers with an addiction to nicotine may have issues with impulse control and behavior.

In addition to what’s in the vape device, there’s also the issue of where the product came from. Third-party sellers may sell their vape products for a cheaper price, so people who vape can save money and use those products instead. However, those products have not been approved or inspected and there’s no guarantee of what’s in them.

It’s important for people who have been vaping to know what the symptoms of lung disease are, so they can get medical attention as soon as possible. Patients reported feeling shortness of breath, coughing, chest pain, fever, chills, abdominal pain, weight loss, and more.

Solomon Law Group Will Stand by Your Side

Receiving a lung disease diagnosis or seeing a loved one hospitalized because of a vaping-related illness are both difficult events to experience. Missing work along with paying for medical treatment can be costly. Our Columbia lawyers will carefully assess the damages and losses vaping has caused you and demand you get rightful compensation.

When the companies that made these products didn’t inform the public of their inherent health risks, they decided that your wellbeing didn’t matter. We’re here to show them it does. Our lawyers are well-versed in product liability law and how to hold a company accountable when they act negligently. To get started on your Columbia JUUL e-cigarette lawsuit, get in touch with our firm today.

The men and women serving in our military make sacrifices for their country every day. When what they give up is related to a physical injury, it could affect the rest of their lives. One of the challenges of serving in a combat zone is the noise and the potential for hearing loss.

While the human ear can spend hours a day exposed to noise at levels that mimic a crowded freeway, the risk of hearing damage increases as the noise level rises. That is why 3M supplied troops with dual-ended earplugs between 2003 and 2015. Unfortunately, due to a design defect, these earplugs did not operate properly. Victims of injuries can file a 3M defective combat earplugs lawsuit.

Why Were the 3M Combat Arms Earplugs Considered Defective?

As mentioned, combat zones during times of war are incredibly loud. Explosives, aircrafts, gunfire, and vehicles contribute to the rising decibels. To protect soldiers’ ears, Aearo Technologies, Inc. initially designed and supplied the Combat Arms dual-ended earplugs. Later, 3M provided them for troops.

The earplugs were intended to serve two purposes, with an open end and a closed end. The open end allowed soldiers to hear sounds at a reasonable level. This was so they could listen to orders or hear others approaching. The closed end was supposed to provide hearing protection against damaging noises, including dangerous impulse noises.

The Combat Arms earplugs were the only ones used by U.S. military members. The double-cone like ends were distinguished by color, so it was easy to determine which side to use depending on the environment. The open end was yellow, while the closed end was olive green.

According to allegations from a Qui Tam case filed in May 2016, neither end operated as intended. This is because the yellow fins on the earplug interfered with forming a tight seal in the ear canal unless folded back. The alleged defect exposed soldiers to dangerous volumes of noise. This exposure had the potential to cause hearing loss or ringing in the ears.

If you believe you used these earplugs while you were actively serving and are now dealing with a hearing loss diagnosis, taking legal action with our attorneys could lead to compensation for your related medical expenses and more.

The Results of the Whistleblower Lawsuit

In 2013, a False Claims Act case was filed against 3M for the dual-ended earplugs. This type of lawsuit gives any private citizen the right to sue another individual or company that they believe is defrauding the government. Funds can be recovered on the government’s behalf. A Qui Tam lawsuit is kept a secret from the public in order to give the Justice Department time to investigate the allegations.

With this claim, allegations against Aearo Technologies and 3M claimed the company provided defective dual-ended earplugs to U.S. military personnel after testing the products with methods that did not comply with accepted standards. The lawsuit also claimed 3M knowingly labeled the earplugs with a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) that did not match up with the actual performance. Finally, claims were made that 3M supplied the United States Government with the devices and requested payment without disclosing the defect, inadequate testing process, or the incorrect NRR.

As a result of the whistleblower lawsuit, a settlement between 3M and the U.S. Government was announced in July 2018. 3M agreed to pay $9.1 million dollars without admitting any liability.

Who Can Seek Compensation Now? 

While the False Claims Act case allowed the Government to collect compensation for the damages related to 3M’s earplugs, the soldiers who the product injured are not included. They must seek compensation on their own. If you had Combat Arms dual-ended earplugs while overseas from 2003 to 2015, you may be eligible for compensation.

Many U.S. Armed Forces members who may have sustained injuries could have served during the War of Afghanistan, Iraq War, War in North-West Pakistan, War in Somalia, Operation Ocean Shield in the Indian Ocean, American-led interventions in Libya, Iraq, or Syria, Yemeni Civil War, or the American Intervention in Libya.

You can find out about your eligibility for compensation by contacting one of our lawyers. For instance, you could be part of a mass tort, which typically involves a group of wronged individuals who sustained injuries around the same time in a similar geographic area.

Start Your Claim with Solomon Law Group Today

If you served in the military, believe you used the Combat Arms dual-ended earplugs, and are suffering from permanent hearing loss or tinnitus, you may have the grounds to file a product liability claim. Our personal injury lawyers can evaluate your claim and determine if you should get compensation for your losses.

It’s possible multidistrict litigation (MDL) will be formed for victims of this product liability. This refers to the special federal legal process designed to speed up complex cases. We have the experience and knowledge needed to give our clients a voice, so companies like 3M get the message that they were negligent and should be held responsible for knowingly putting U.S. service members in harm’s way. No matter what the product, companies need to prioritize the safety of their consumers over their bottom line.

To learn more about the possibility of a mass tort and to find out about your legal rights and options, contact our firm online at your earliest convenience. You can also call our office at 803-900-9000. The sooner you get in touch with our lawyers, the sooner we can work to help you get your life back in order.

Get Help Now – 803-900-9000

Solomon Law Group is working with Zoll & Kranz, LLC to pursue these cases. Work on these cases as part of the MDL will be primarily handled by the attorneys at:

Zoll & Krantz, LLC
6620 W. Central Ave., Suite 100
Toledo, OH 43617
Office: 419-841-9623

As a law-abiding, responsible driver, you know you take the proper steps to ensure the safety of you and your loved ones when you’re behind the wheel. Unfortunately, you may not always have control over the situations that unfold while operating a vehicle. Defective car parts have the potential to cause serious, life-altering accidents, especially on the highway or interstate. The effects of these accidents are often physical, emotional, and economical.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has the authority to issue vehicle safety standards, as well as require manufacturers to recall vehicles that have defective parts and do not meet the federal safety guidelines. Since the enaction of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act in 1966, more than 390 million cars, trucks, buses, and other vehicles, as well as 46 million tires, and 66 million pieces of motor vehicle equipment have been recalled for the benefit of the public.

Even with the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, defective car parts are not always caught fast enough to prevent accidents from happening. If you’ve been in an accident resulting from a defective car part, it’s important to understand your rights. Our attorneys at Solomon Law Group are prepared to answer your questions.

What Are the Most Common Defective Car Parts?

A car part may be considered defective if it does not comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards or when a safety issue is identified. Below you’ll find a list of the most common defective car parts, as well as the associated consequences.

Brakes. When a vehicle’s brakes malfunction, the driver may be unable to slow down or stop. This is likely to result in a rear-end collision.

Tires. When tires are manufactured improperly, the chances of a blowout increase. In the event of a blowout, a driver may lose control of the vehicle. Larger vehicles face the risk of rollovers.

Airbags. Airbags are a crucial part of any vehicle. In the event of an accident, a defective airbag may deploy late or not at all. This has the potential to increase the chance of serious injury for the driver and any passengers.

Seatbelts. A defective buckle or strap has the potential to come loose or snap during an accident, which will increase the chance of injury.

Other defects can be found in the following vehicle components and equipment:

• Steering systems
• Structural integrity of the roof
• Fuel systems/gas tanks
• Accelerator controls
• Engine cooling fans
• Wiring systems

Who Can Be Held Accountable for a Defective Car Part?

Depending on the nature of the defect, there may be multiple parties you can hold accountable including the car manufacturer, the parts manufacturer, or the distributor.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident because of a defective car part, you may have the grounds for a product liability case. The manufacturer responsible for the error should be held accountable, and you should receive compensation for your injuries, medical expenses, and pain and suffering. Contact our Columbia, SC product liability lawyer today for a free consultation.

Given the miles that Americans travel each year in their cars, it is incumbent upon every driver to ensure that their car, truck, or motorcycle is in good repair, but sometimes there are manufacturing defects that are out of their control.  Manufacturers are obligated to design and manufacture safe vehicle and parts. Notwithstanding a manufacturer’s duty to provide safe products, vehicle defects in manufacturing and design kill and maim many motorists each year.

When the manufacturer has acted in a negligent or reckless manner by placing an unsafe vehicle on the road, the dedicated attorneys at The Solomon Law Group will use their knowledge and skill to get you the money you deserve if you were injured by a vehicle defect.

Personal injury is a commonly used term. What exactly does personal injury mean? Personal injury is a legal term that accounts for injuries that result from an accident of some kind. Injuries can include those that are physical, mental, or emotional. Personal injury does not include damage to property.

An element that needs to be present in a personal injury case is negligence. Negligence means that the accident occurred out of careless or reckless behavior. Negligence is also defined as the failure to act with reasonable care. In other words, the party responsible for the accident failed to act with adequate care and caution. Adequate care is determined by asking the question, “How would a sensible and rational person act under the same circumstances under which the accident occurred?” A successful personal injury case proves that the person or entity responsible for the accident acted with negligence.