Who Can Be Held Liable in a Lithium-Ion Battery Lawsuit?
When a lithium-ion battery explosion occurs, figuring out who is responsible can be tricky. It’s not always just the manufacturer of the battery itself. Product liability laws are in place to protect consumers from defective goods, and they allow us to hold various parties accountable.
Depending on the details of your case, one or more of the following might be held liable:
- The Battery Manufacturer: If the battery itself was poorly designed or there were mistakes during the manufacturing process, the company that made the battery could be held responsible.
- The Device Manufacturer: Sometimes, the company that made the final product (like the smartphone or e-cigarette) might be at fault. This could be due to a faulty design that doesn’t properly house or protect the battery, or if they used a battery they knew to be unsafe.
- The Retailer or Distributor: In some cases, the store that sold you the product, or the company that transported it, could also be held responsible, especially if they knew about a defect and still sold it.
- Component Manufacturers: If a part of the battery or device (like a charger or a circuit board) was defective and caused the explosion, the company that made that specific part could also be liable.
Injuries a Lithium-Ion Battery Explosion Attorney Can Help You With
Lithium-ion battery explosions happen fast and often without any visible sign of danger. The blast can be violent, sudden, and catastrophic. In an instant, something as routine as charging a device turns into a medical emergency.
With such little time to react and because these devices are often held close to the face or body, the resulting injuries can be particularly devastating:
- Severe Burns
- Facial and Eye Injuries
- Concussions
- Hearing Loss
- Hand and Limb Injuries
- Nerve Damage
- Smoke Inhalation and Respiratory Issues
- PTSD
- Scarring and Disfigurement
The Dangers of Toxic Gases Released in a Lithium-Ion Battery Explosion
Thermal runaway releases highly toxic and flammable gases. These fumes are extremely dangerous to inhale and can cause immediate and long-term health problems.
Some of the toxic chemicals that can be released include:
- Hydrogen Fluoride: This is one of the most dangerous gases released. It can cause severe burns to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. Even in gas form, it can be absorbed through the skin, leading to systemic toxicity that can affect organs and even be fatal.
- Carbon Monoxide: A colorless, odorless gas that can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, leading to headaches, nausea, dizziness, confusion, and in severe cases, unconsciousness and death.
- Hydrogen Cyanide: A highly poisonous gas that acts as an asphyxiant, interfering with the body’s ability to use oxygen. It can quickly affect the respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological systems.
- Hydrogen Chloride: A corrosive gas that can cause severe irritation and burns to the eyes, skin, and respiratory system.
- Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen Dioxide: These gases can cause respiratory irritation, lung damage, and other cardiovascular issues.
Inhaling these fumes can lead to serious respiratory issues, chemical burns to internal tissues, and systemic poisoning. If you have been exposed to fumes from an exploding lithium-ion battery, seek medical attention immediately, even if you don’t feel symptoms right away. The effects can be delayed and potentially life-threatening.
What To Do If a Lithium-Ion Battery Explodes
Being involved in a lithium-ion battery explosion is a frightening experience. Your safety and well-being are the most important things. Here are some steps you should take if a lithium-ion battery explodes:
- Seek Medical Attention Immediately: If a fire occurs, evacuate the area and call 911. Even if you think your injuries are minor, seek medical attention right away. Burns can be more serious than they appear, and toxic fumes can have hidden dangers.
- Preserve the Evidence (If Safe to Do So): If it’s safe and you’re able, do not touch the damaged battery or device directly with bare hands. Take photos or videos of the scene, including the damaged product, the area where it exploded, and any visible injuries. If possible, secure the device and all its parts in a safe, non-flammable container, like a metal bin, but only if it’s completely safe and the device has cooled down.
- Document Everything: Keep detailed records of everything related to the incident. This includes medical records, bills for treatment, receipts for the damaged product, and any lost wages due to your injuries. Write down a clear account of what happened, when it happened, and who was present.
- Do Not Tamper with the Device: Even if you’re curious or think you can “fix” it, do not try to repair, open, or further dismantle the exploded battery or device. This could be dangerous and could compromise important evidence needed for your case.
- Contact an Experienced Lithium-Ion Battery Explosion Attorney: As soon as you can, reach out to a lawyer who handles product liability cases involving battery explosions. We can guide you through the next steps, help preserve critical evidence, and begin building a strong case on your behalf.
What Can I Expect in a Product Liability Case?
One of the first questions people ask is what to expect from the legal process. This video explains how we start by investigating the product involved and gathering important evidence. You will learn why our team places the highest importance on preserving proof and collecting witness statements.
Recent Lithium-Ion Battery Recalls
For over 15 years, our firm has seen a disturbing trend of product safety warnings and recalls involving lithium rechargeable devices that have burned or exploded. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) continues to announce recalls of various products due to lithium-ion battery fire and burn hazards.
Just in 2023 and 2024, there have been numerous incidents and recalls across different product categories:
- E-bikes and E-scooters: In New York City alone, there were over 200 e-bike battery fires in 2023, resulting in fatalities. The CPSC recently announced recalls for VIVI E-Bikes’ lithium-ion batteries in July 2025 due to overheating, with 14 reports of incidents and three fires.
- Portable Power Banks: In March and April 2025, VC Group and Casely Inc. recalled hundreds of thousands of their wireless power banks after numerous reports of overheating and fires, some causing minor burn injuries. iStore also issued a recall in July 2025 for similar issues.
- Power Tools: Lithium-ion batteries in power tools continue to pose risks. For instance, DR Power recalled lithium-ion battery packs for their outdoor equipment in June 2025 due to short-circuiting and ignition risks. SKIL also recalled 40V 5.0Ah Lithium-Ion Batteries in December 2024, citing 100 thermal incidents.
- Electric Vehicles (EVs): While less common than smaller devices, some EV manufacturers like Audi, Volkswagen, and Porsche have faced class action lawsuits and concerns over lithium-ion battery defects in certain model years from 2019-2024, raising questions about safety risks when parked.
Over 25,000 overheating or fire incidents linked to battery-powered products were reported between 2012 and 2017, involving more than 400 types of consumer items.
How Our Battery Explosion Lawyers Prove a Product Was Defective
Every battery explosion case is unique, but our process focuses on getting to the root cause of the failure. To win a product liability case, we must show that the product was defective in one or more of the following ways:
- Design Defect: The product was dangerous from the start because of how it was designed. Even if it was built exactly as intended, it still posed an unreasonable risk.
- Manufacturing Defect: The product’s design may have been sound, but a mistake during manufacturing, such as poor-quality materials, contamination, or assembly errors, caused the battery to fail.
- Failure to Warn: The company didn’t provide proper warnings or instructions about how to use or charge the device safely, putting users at risk. This could include missing safety labels, unclear manuals, or a lack of recall alerts.
- Misrepresentation or Breach of Warranty: If a company marketed the product as safe, durable, or certified, but it failed to meet those promises, they may be legally responsible for any resulting injuries.
Compensation Available in a Lithium-Ion Battery Lawsuit
At The Lyon Firm, we fight to ensure that you are fully compensated for every way this incident has affected your life. If a defective battery caused your injuries, you may be entitled to compensation for the following:
- Past and Future Medical Expenses: Emergency room visits and hospital stays, skin grafts, burn treatments, wound care, surgery, including reconstructive or amputation procedures, ongoing rehabilitation, physical therapy, psychological counseling, future medical needs related to scarring, nerve damage, or permanent disability.
- Lost Wages and Earning Potential: If you missed work because of your injuries, or can’t return to the same job due to long-term damage, you may be able to recover lost income, future earnings, and lost job opportunities tied to your injury.
- Pain and Suffering: Explosions can cause severe physical pain and long-term emotional trauma, including anxiety, PTSD, permanent scarring, disfigurement, and a reduced ability to enjoy daily life or maintain relationships.
- Property Damage: Fires and blasts often destroy more than just the device, such as clothing, furniture, vehicles, or other personal belongings. You may be entitled to the cost of replacing or repairing these items.
- Punitive Damages: In cases where a company ignored safety risks or failed to properly test or recall a dangerous battery, additional compensation may be awarded to punish that behavior and help prevent it from happening again.
