AUSTIN (KXAN) — A lawsuit against Texas-based e-cigarette makers, seeking more than $1 million in damages, has been filed in Travis County.
Attorneys for Claire Lindstrom filed the suit that alleges fraud and negligence by Juul Labs, PAX Labs and Altria Group, all based in Dallas. Other defendants named in the lawsuit are Evolv, LLC, Mamasan, LLC and Yogi e-Liquid.
KXAN has reached out to the defendants and will update this article with any responses.
The lawsuit says Lindstrom, who lives in Maryland, started vaping in 2018 after she saw advertisements for the products. She became addicted to the high levels of nicotine produced by the products, the lawsuit says.
Juul’s website has a warning that says, “This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.”
After being “enticed” by other ads, the lawsuit says she switched vape products and to a salt-based nicotine juice manufactured by one of the defendants.
After three weeks of using those, she developed bronchitis, the lawsuit says. She stopped using the products for about five months, then picked it back up, the lawsuit says.
A roommate found her unconscious in her bed in September, and after the roommate woke Lindstrom, she could hardly walk, the lawsuit says. Lindstrom was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with lipoid pneumonia.
The lawsuit says Lindstrom doctors fear her lungs are permanently damaged due to vaping.
