Injuries from Laptop Lithium Battery Fires and Explosions
Personal Injury Lawyer Handling Laptop Lithium Battery Fires
Lithium battery fires and explosions are still happening throughout the world.
These batteries are present in your:
- Laptop
- Notebook
- And cell phone
These cases have even occurred on airplanes. One day a lithium battery will explode on an airplane (or catch on fire), and the airplane will crash. Until then, there will be no laws or regulations concerning the use of lithium batteries.
Right now, the head attorney of our firm is handling a case of an elderly man that was rescued from a fire that was allegedly caused by the laptop. Sadly the man died only a few days later due to his injuries, and we are representing the victim’s family and seek compensation from all who we deem responsible for the fire and his death.
Nowadays, electronic devices are part of our daily lives and we bring them with us almost everywhere we go. This is part of modern day living, but an unexpected consequence of our beloved devices is that they have the potential of overheating, exploding, and starting disastrous fires.
The cause of devices such as laptops, cell phones, tablets, watches, and cameras exploding or burning is due to their lithium batteries. You can do a Google search for lithium battery fires and explosions and actually see them happening if you search for videos.
What Are the Different Types of Lithium Batteries?
There are two main types of lithium batteries. One is a lithium metal, which is disposable. The other is lithium-ion, which is rechargeable. Both pose the same danger of igniting and/or exploding.
Lithium batteries can overheat and go into what is known as a thermal runway, which is when one lithium cell increases in temperature and causes a chain reaction of heat within the battery, potentially resulting in a fire or explosion. There have been at least eight deaths reported worldwide due to lithium battery fires or explosions.
Airlines and Lithium Batteries
This new age risk has become problematic on airlines. There have been battery incidents on airplanes due to the number of batteries brought on board by passengers. According to BBC News, an average plane carrying 100 passengers can total 500 lithium batteries on the plane.
The increased risk has lead airlines to train their employees on how to put out lithium battery fires. There are some ways to reduce the risk of a battery blow up on an airplane but it doesn’t fully eliminate the risk. A few of the measures you can take is to avoid placing them near other metallic objects, place any spare batteries in a plastic bag, and do not buy cheap versions of lithium batteries.
What To Do if a Lithium Battery Fire Occurs
If a lithium battery fire ever occurs, it must be put out with water, halon, or halon replacement. Halon is a clean agent that evaporates completely without any residue. Once the fire is extinguished, the remaining lithium cells in the battery must be cooled to stop the thermal runway.
This should be done by pouring water over the battery. Do not use ice or cover the battery because this will actually trap heat and cause the thermal runway to continue. Also, just because the fire has been put out doesn’t mean you should try to pick up the device. By doing that, you and anyone around could become seriously injured.
Contact Us for Your Free Consultation
You need an experienced attorney to handle you lithium battery accident case, but we only handle these cases which involve:
- Catastrophic physical injury
- Death
- Or property damage exceeding one million dollars
These cases are very expensive, and in most cases, our law firm is required to finance them.
Dan Cytryn has been helping personal injury victims for over 43 years and has court room experience, having handled more than 100 jury trials and close to 50 appeals.
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If you or someone you know is suffering from catastrophic injuries due to a lithium battery fire, call the Law Offices Cytryn & Velazquez, P.A. now toll free at (954) 833-1440 for your free consultation.
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