Liquid Nicotine Poisoning on the Rise

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A Washington toddler was poisoned recently after drinking a container of liquid nicotine. According to Dr. Alexander Garrard of the Washington Poison Center, liquid nicotine bottles are easy to open, and because the liquid comes in sweet-smelling flavors, the danger to small children is considerable. He says calls about the poison have increased substantially in recent years. Ingestion can lead to increased heart rate, high blood pressure and stomach trouble, with serious cases leading to seizures, coma and death.As of August 31, the American Association of Poison Control Centers had received 2,724 reports of harmful exposure to e-cigarettes or liquid nicotine in 2014. With the popularity of e-cigarettes increasing in recent years, North Carolina residents face dangers related to the harmful ingestion of liquid nicotine, and the uptick in cases involving children may suggest a real problem with the way the product is packaged.

In bringing a claim against a product manufacturer, a plaintiff must prove that the product in question was defectively manufactured, defectively designed or contained insufficient warnings or instructions. In cases involving liquid nicotine, the e-cigarette’s design or — in the case of the Washington toddler — the design of the bottle of replacement liquid may be called into question.

If the plaintiff’s attorney can prove that a reasonable alternative design would have prevented harmful contact between the plaintiff and the dangerous product, the victim may receive compensation for their injuries.

If you believe your child may have ingested or otherwise been exposed to liquid nicotine, seek medical help right away. Afterwards, it might be in your best interest to seek legal assistance if you believe a manufacturing or packaging defect contributed to the accident. The attorneys with the Lanier Law Group have experience handling product liability claims for clients throughout North Carolina.