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| California woman burned by exploding e-cigarette charger awarded nearly $2m | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A California woman badly burned by an exploding electronic cigarette charger was awarded nearly $2m on Wednesday by a jury in a product liability suit, her lawyer said. | |
| Related: US health watchdog to take legal action against e-cigarette makers | Related: US health watchdog to take legal action against e-cigarette makers |
| Jennifer Ries of Corona was on her way to the airport in March 2013 when she plugged in her VapCigs e-cigarette charger and it spewed hot metal that ignited her dress, attorney Gregory Bentley said. | Jennifer Ries of Corona was on her way to the airport in March 2013 when she plugged in her VapCigs e-cigarette charger and it spewed hot metal that ignited her dress, attorney Gregory Bentley said. |
| Her husband, Xavier Ries, tossed an iced coffee on her to extinguish the flames, but she was scarred for life by second-degree burns on her buttocks, thighs and hand, according to the lawsuit. | Her husband, Xavier Ries, tossed an iced coffee on her to extinguish the flames, but she was scarred for life by second-degree burns on her buttocks, thighs and hand, according to the lawsuit. |
| The couple missed their flight to Brazil, where they had planned to help build a community center for children in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, and Jennifer Ries ended up at an urgent care facility and a burn clinic the following day. | The couple missed their flight to Brazil, where they had planned to help build a community center for children in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, and Jennifer Ries ended up at an urgent care facility and a burn clinic the following day. |
| After a six-day trial, a Riverside Superior Court jury awarded $1.9m to Jennifer Ries in the lawsuit against VapCigs, which distributes the Chinese-made e-cigarette and charger, wholesaler Cartons 2 Go and retailer Tobacco Expo, Bentley said. | After a six-day trial, a Riverside Superior Court jury awarded $1.9m to Jennifer Ries in the lawsuit against VapCigs, which distributes the Chinese-made e-cigarette and charger, wholesaler Cartons 2 Go and retailer Tobacco Expo, Bentley said. |
| Lawyers for the defendants did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment | Lawyers for the defendants did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment |
| “If you’re going to place a product in the marketplace, you have to make sure it’s safe for the consumer,” Bentley said. “If you don’t, you’re at your own peril.” | “If you’re going to place a product in the marketplace, you have to make sure it’s safe for the consumer,” Bentley said. “If you don’t, you’re at your own peril.” |
| Ries stopped vaping after the incident, said Joe Marchelewski, a spokesman for Bentley’s firm. | Ries stopped vaping after the incident, said Joe Marchelewski, a spokesman for Bentley’s firm. |