Did Juul Destroy Documents? Judge Finds E-Cigarette Giant Violated Court Orders

Juul Labs, the maker of the USB-like e-cigarette that exploded in popularity in recent years is currently in hot water over its e-cigarettes. The company’s marketing to middle and high school-aged minors is at the forefront of lawsuits filed throughout the United States, and Juul faces new lawsuits weekly, if not daily. A judge in one lawsuit pending in North Carolina is not happy with Juul’s conduct.

In a recent court filing in the Durham County Superior Court, the judge ruled that Juul violated court orders that required the company to preserve documents. Rather than comply with the court orders, Juul is alleged to have destroyed documents and social media postings relating to youth advertisement. Deletion of documents and social media posts occurred ahead of an upcoming trial. The prosecution in this North Carolina lawsuit are lawyers from the Attorney General’s office.

The Consequences of Juul’s Conduct

The North Carolina superior court judge indicated that Juul may face sanctions in the form of millions of dollars of fines. The judge also stated that he will inform the jury at the upcoming trial that the jury may “draw adverse inference that all the social media posts Juul deleted or caused to be deleted were youth oriented.”

Without key documents and social media postings to prove Juul was targeting youths with its advertisements, plaintiffs (including states and injured individuals) do not have the ability to support their allegations against Juul. As such, in fairness to the plaintiffs, the judge will allow the jury to draw an inference that the deleted documents and social media postings were youth oriented.

How Many Lawsuits is Juul Facing Nationwide?

Juul Labs is facing hundreds of lawsuits nationwide, and that number could reach well over 1,000 in the near future. Not only are injured plaintiffs filing lawsuits against Juul, but states are suing the e-cigarette manufacturer as well.

States allege that the public health disaster associated with Juul’s aggressive marketing to children, and the subsequent incidence of Juul-related injuries among minors, has caused the state to expend significant resources.

Juul Continues to Sell E-Cigarettes

Juul has not stopped manufacturing and selling its e-cigarettes but has made changes to no longer advertise to youths. Additionally, Juul has removed many of the e-cigarette flavors that played a key role in the significant e-cigarette use among youths. However, Juul can still be held responsible for its past conduct in contributing to a public health crisis that faced teens and their families nationwide.

Contact Searcy Denney Today to Speak with a Juul Lawyer

If you have sustained injuries associated with Juul e-cigarettes or wish to speak with a lawyer about a family member, such as a son or daughter, you may find guidance by speaking with a Juul lawyer who represents clients just like you. Each Juul lawyer at Searcy Denney is actively involved in numerous mass tort litigations, and Juul is no exception.

With the assistance of our legal team, you will receive high-quality legal representation. Our Juul lawyer makes every effort to help clients seek and obtain compensation for their injuries. To receive a free case evaluation, contact our office today by calling (800) 780-8607 or by completing a case inquiry form on our website.