Back in 2015, Juul Labs put a new e-cigarette on the market, asserting that use of e-cigarettes (vaping) was a safer alternative to actual smoking or use of traditional cigarette tobacco. Juul was one of the first manufacturers of vaping devices accounting for about 75% of e-cigarettes sold. In 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered Juul to stop selling their vaping products, but in July of 2022 the FDA put a hold on its order.
The problem was that over 5,000 lawsuits were filed against Juul alleging that they were guilty of deceptive marketing or failed to warn consumers about the risks associated with their product including its addictive properties and marketing to minors.
Latest Updates
In recent years Juul has had to deal with many legal challenges:
- June 2021: Juul settled a case brought against them by the State of North Carolina in which it alleged that Juul was responsible for the increase of vaping by minors in the state. Juul settled the case for $40 million.
- November 2021: Juul settled another case brought against it by the Attorney General’s office of Arizona in which it was alleged that Juul unlawfully targeted younger consumers and downplayed the risks associated with vaping. Juul settled for $14.5 million.
- April 2022: In a claim filed by the state of Washington, Juul agreed to settle for $22.5 million. The claim again alleged that Juul marketed to minors and lied about the addictive nature of their product and they agreed to a secret shopper program to police retailers to ensure they are not selling Juul products to minors.
- September 2022: Juul agreed to tentatively pay more than $438 million as a settlement to investigations by almost three dozen states over how it may have marketed to teenagers, though they did not admit to wrongdoing.
- December 2022: In approximately 5,000 cases involving school district plaintiffs about the addictive properties of their product and their marketing strategies, Juul agreed to settle by paying between $1.2 and $1.7 billion. The settlement has yet to be approved, but it was called fair and reasonable.
- January 2023: San Francisco District Judge William Orrick approved a $255 million settlement to resolve a class action lawsuit filed that alleged that Juul marketed its product deceptively, downplaying the products’ addictive nature and that it marketed to minors.
- April 2023: Juul settled with six states and the District of Columbia for $462 million regarding how the products were marketed. The tobacco company Altria, along with Juul, settled another claim from Minnesota a few days later for $60.5 million.
More than state governments and government officials have filed lawsuits against Juul. There is an increasing number of e-cigarette users filing claims against the company alleging that they were harmed by the company’s products.
Claims
There are several claims that could be filed against the company that plaintiffs can pursue, like:
- Negligence.
- Liability, if there were defects in the products.
- Breach of applied warranty.
- Intentional misrepresentation.
- Failure to disclose information regarding the dangers associated with its products.
To be granted compensation, plaintiffs must prove that Juul breached a duty that was owed to them, as well as that the breach caused the plaintiff to endure measurable harm.
Eligibility
There are many groups that may be able to file a lawsuit against Juul, or other vaping companies. You may file a claim against Juul if:
- You have experienced injuries or health issues related to Juul products and you are over the age of 18.
- As a parent you have a child under the age of 18 who became addicted to the product from Juul or other vaping companies, or you have an underage child who has experienced health issues or injuries associated with the use of the products from Juul. Here you would be filing a suit on behalf of your child.
Health Problem Suits
Juul and vaping products in general have been allegedly connected to several serious health issues, including, but not limited to:
- Suicidal ideation
- Stroke
- Seizure
- Severe addiction
- Respiratory failure or other lung problems
- Nicotine poisoning
- Mental health issues
- Heart attacks
- Complications during pregnancies
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Cardiac problems
- Behavioral changes
If you believe that you or your underaged child has experienced any of these health issues, and you can provide proof that they occurred resulting from use of Juul products and can if they can be tied to negligence, failure to disclose dangers related to the products, or product defects, you may be eligible to file a claim against Juul.
Filing a Claim
If you have questions regarding any litigation around Juul products, or other vaping products, you should speak with an experienced liability lawyer to see if eligible, and how you should proceed, in litigation or lawsuit. Contact Pulaski Kherkher for a free consultation.
