Las Vegas Personal Injury Lawyer
Exploding batteries, appliance fires, and tool or machinery malfunctions are often defects, not accidents. In Nevada, the maker, distributor, and seller can all be held responsible. Don’t return, repair, or toss it. The product proves the defect.
Yes. When a battery, appliance, power tool, or machine malfunctions and causes a serious injury, Nevada’s strict products liability law lets you bring a claim against the companies that made and sold it.
You generally don’t have to prove the company was careless. You have to prove the product was defective and that the defect caused your injury, and the product itself is usually the proof.
Here are the defective products behind many catastrophic injuries in Las Vegas homes and job sites, how they fail, and the evidence that proves a defect.
| Defective product | How it fails | Evidence that proves it |
|---|---|---|
| Lithium-Ion Batteries | Overheating, fire, or explosion while charging or in use. Phones, laptops, vapes, power banks, hoverboards, and e-bike batteries | The battery and charger, burn pattern, fire investigator report, purchase record |
| Household Appliances | Pressure cooker lids that burst open, space heaters that overheat, and electrical appliance fires | The appliance, model and serial number, recall notices, fire department report |
| Power Tools | Blade guards that fail, discs that shatter, and tools that start without warning | The tool, broken parts, the guard, owner’s manual, receipt |
| Industrial Machinery | Missing guards, failed emergency stops, and safety switches that don’t cut power | The machine, maintenance logs, OSHA inspection records, rental contract |
| Home and Children’s Products | Furniture that tips over, cribs and gates that collapse, and parts that break loose | The product, CPSC recall notice, assembly instructions, photos of the scene |
Don’t hand it over. Manufacturers, stores, and insurers often ask for the product back or offer a replacement. Keep the product, charger, packaging, and receipt, and don’t repair or test it. Nevada’s 2-year injury deadline (NRS 11.190(4)(e)) generally runs from the date of injury.
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Liability follows the chain of distribution. Every company that made, supplied, or sold the product can be named in a Nevada product liability claim, and each one usually carries its own insurance.
The brand that designed and built the product. Many are overseas, which is why the rest of the chain matters so much.
Brand names · Foreign makersThe company that made the part that failed, like a battery cell, charger, or motor, can be liable separately from the brand on the box.
Battery cells · Chargers · MotorsCompanies that brought the product into the U.S. or supplied it to stores. When an overseas maker is out of reach, they may be the one who pays.
Importers · WholesalersBig-box and local stores that sold the product can be named even though they didn’t make it. The receipt shows exactly where it was bought.
Downtown Summerlin · Galleria at Sunset · Eastern & SereneCourts have held marketplaces responsible when they stored, packaged, and shipped a defective product from a third-party seller.
Online orders · Shipped to Las Vegas homesRental shops and equipment suppliers that rented out a machine with a failed guard or known problem can be separate defendants with their own insurance.
Job sites from the Strip to HendersonBattery fires are product defect claims. Lithium-ion batteries in phones, vapes, power banks, hoverboards, e-bikes, and e-scooters can overheat and explode while charging at home, even when no one is riding them.
Manufacturers and their insurers defend product cases with one goal: get the product, then blame someone else. Here are the five moves we see coming and how we shut them down.
They ask for it back or offer a replacement. Once it’s in their lab, testing can change or destroy the failed part.
Our counter: You keep it. Any inspection happens under an agreed protocol with both sides’ experts present.
They blame an off-brand charger, a skipped instruction, or a modification to make the defect your fault.
Our counter: We document exactly how you used it. Ordinary, foreseeable use is what the product had to be safe for.
The maker blames the battery supplier, the store blames the overseas brand, and everyone points down the chain.
Our counter: We name every company in the chain of distribution from the start, so no one can hide behind another.
After a battery or appliance fire, they blame the outlet, your home’s wiring, or a different device in the room.
Our counter: Fire cause-and-origin experts trace burn patterns back to the product, using the Las Vegas or Clark County fire report.
A fast refund, gift card, or small check can come with a release that gives up your right to a full claim.
Our counter: Don’t sign anything from the maker, store, or insurer until a lawyer reviews it.
A Nevada product liability claim has to show three things: the product was defective, the defect existed when it left the company’s hands, and the defect caused your injury. Here’s how the evidence gets built, in the order it happens.
| Step | What we do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1Lock Down the Product | Take secure custody of the product, charger, and packaging, photograph everything, and send preservation letters to the maker and seller | Once the product is altered or lost, the defect gets much harder to prove |
| Step 2Trace the Chain | Use the receipt, order confirmation, serial and lot numbers, and import records to identify every company that touched the product | Every company in the chain is a possible defendant with its own insurance |
| Step 3Check Recalls and Complaints | Search CPSC recalls, SaferProducts.gov incident reports, and prior lawsuits involving the same model or battery | Earlier reports can show the company knew about the danger |
| Step 4Expert Inspection and Testing | Engineers examine the product under an agreed protocol, starting with non-destructive tests like X-ray or CT scans of battery cells | Pinpoints the failed part without destroying the evidence |
| Step 5Connect Defect to Injury | Match the fire report from Las Vegas Fire & Rescue, Clark County Fire, or Henderson Fire with medical records and expert findings | Proves the defect, not something else, caused your injury |
Already returned or threw it away? You may still have a claim. Photos, the receipt, the packaging, and the same model bought new can still help prove a defect.
“The product that hurt you is the most important evidence you have. Companies know that, which is why they ask for it back.
Keep it. We’ll find every company that made, shipped, or sold it, and make each one answer for what happened.”
Get medical care, then protect the product. What you do in the first few days decides how much evidence survives. Follow these six steps in order.
Burns, electrical injuries, and crush injuries can get worse over hours. Go to the ER or urgent care and keep every record and bill.
Don’t return, repair, test, or throw it out. Keep the charger, broken pieces, packaging, and manual with it.
A damaged lithium-ion battery can reignite. Keep it in a metal container away from your home and anything flammable. If it smokes, call 911.
The product, labels, serial number, where it failed, the damage, and your injuries, before anything gets cleaned or moved.
Receipt, order confirmation, or bank statement, plus the fire department report number if there was a fire.
Refund forms, releases, and recorded calls with the maker, store, or insurer can hurt your claim. Talk to a lawyer first.
Nevada generally gives you 2 years from the date of injury to file a product liability lawsuit (NRS 11.190(4)(e)), but products, recordings, and store records disappear long before that. If the injury will affect the rest of your life, the claim has to cover the rest of your life. See how our Las Vegas catastrophic injury lawyer team values lifetime damages.
Yes. Under Nevada's strict products liability law, you can bring a claim against the companies that made and sold a defective product that injured you. You generally do not have to prove the company was careless, only that the product was defective when it left their hands and that the defect caused your injury.
Every company in the chain of distribution can be named in a claim. That includes the manufacturer, the maker of the part that failed such as a battery cell or charger, the distributor or importer, and the store that sold it. Each company usually carries its own insurance.
No. Keep the product, charger, packaging, and receipt, and do not repair, test, or throw it away. The product is usually the most important evidence in the case. If the company wants to inspect it, that should happen under an agreed protocol with experts for both sides present.
Yes. A lithium-ion battery that overheats, catches fire, or explodes while charging can support a defective product claim against the battery maker, the e-bike or e-scooter brand, and the seller. Store the damaged battery in a metal container away from your home and keep the charger. If you were hurt in a crash while riding, that is a different type of claim.
It depends on the facts. Some courts have held online marketplaces strictly liable when they stored, packaged, and shipped a defective product from a third-party seller, but courts in different states have reached different results. Your order confirmation and shipping records show who handled the product and help decide who can be named.
Yes. A recall does not take away your right to file a claim, and it can help show the company knew about the danger. You may still have a claim even if you never received the recall notice. Do not send the product back through the recall program until a lawyer has reviewed your case.
You may still have a claim. Photos, the receipt or order confirmation, the packaging, the fire report, and the same model bought new can still help prove a defect. Talk to a lawyer quickly so any remaining evidence can be preserved.
Nevada generally gives you two years from the date of injury to file a product liability lawsuit, under NRS 11.190(4)(e). For a child, the deadline is generally paused until the child turns 18, under NRS 11.250. Evidence disappears long before the deadline, so the product should be secured right away.
Nothing upfront. Howard Injury Law works on contingency, which means no retainer, no hourly fees, and no cost at all unless we win your case. The consultation is free, and if we do not recover for you, you owe us nothing.
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I had a great experience with Howard Injury Law. Anytime I had questions, they were always there with an answer ready to help. They were super attentive towards me. I'm very grateful I went to them after my car accident.
Car AccidentHighly recommend. I worked with James and Vanessa. They both are very nice and patient if or when you have a million and one questions. They make sure you are updated and not wondering where you stand.
Personal InjuryI can't say enough great things about Howard Injury Law. From start to finish, Glenn Howard and his amazing team James and Natalie were there every step of the way. They made a stressful situation feel manageable ... read more
Injury CaseI would like to thank Glen Howard and James for taking such great care of me during my case. They're knowledgeable, professional, and genuinely caring. My family and I are truly grateful for the outcome they achieved.
Injury CaseThis team was amazing. They took care of everything I needed with my personal injury and made it so easy for me. I never felt alone during the process. I would highly recommend Howard Injury Law to anyone.
Personal InjuryI had a really bad accident in March 2023 and was referred to this amazing team. This being a new experience, Howard Injury Law walked me through every single step. They truly fought for me and got me more than I expected.
Car AccidentFounding attorney Glen Howard has spent his career standing beside injured Las Vegas residents and visitors after a serious injury turned their lives upside down — and that's shaped the compassion he brings to every case. He and his team understand that an exploding battery, an appliance fire, or a machine that failed without warning isn't a case file; it's a life-changing injury for you and your family, and it's treated that way here. He has recovered more than $80 million for injury victims and their families, and you'll work directly with Glen and a dedicated case manager who handle your family with care and respect — not a rotating cast of paralegals.
Read Glen's full storyYou never expected to be here. No one is supposed to know how to fight a manufacturer’s insurance company, trace every company that made and sold a product, or keep the evidence safe while recovering from a serious injury.
That's what we do.
Howard Injury Law is available 24/7. The consultation is free and confidential. You pay nothing unless we recover for you. And because Nevada sets a deadline to act, reaching out sooner keeps more of your options open. However you found us — searching for a product defect lawyer in Las Vegas, or referred by someone who trusted us with their case — we're ready when you are, and there's no pressure to decide anything today.
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Howard Injury Law
6330 Spring Mountain Rd Ste D, Las Vegas, NV 89146