WHAT CAN CAUSE AN INSTANT POT OR PRESSURE COOKER EXPLOSION?

Pressure cookers have long been a time-saving kitchen appliance. They utilize a combination of heat and steam to create a high amount of pressure to cook foods quickly, resulting in flavorful dishes in far less time than conventional cooking methods. The temperature inside a pressure cooker runs approximately 40 degrees hotter than the boiling point of water, and the steam it generates, while necessary for rapid cook times, can be extremely dangerous.

If a pressure cooker’s lock, vent, lid, seal, or gasket is faulty, the pressure cooker can explode, causing severe injury or even death to anyone nearby. People who have experienced a pressure cooker explosion have suffered burns, amputations, blindness, concussions, broken bones, and disfigurement, not to mention damage to their homes. If you or your loved one experienced any of these injuries due to a defective pressure cooker, contact our law firm today for legal representation.

SAFETY CONCERNS WITH ELECTRIC PRESSURE COOKERS

Although pressure cookers have actually been around for over 300 years as stovetop appliances, they became more popular during World War II, when convenience became an increased necessity in kitchens across the U.S.

In the 1990’s, electric pressure cookers were invented, and now many brands integrate programmable features of a slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, food warmer, and even a yogurt maker. The problem with these newer electric pressure cookers is that some manufacturers have been mass producing faulty designs. Because these appliances cook at such high temperatures and scalding hot steam, just one bad part can result in a catastrophic injury.  For example:

• If the pressure release vent is faulty, it may cause the lid to open prematurely, causing the contents to explode
• If the lid does not seal properly, steam may eject the lid, launching boiling hot food and metal pieces all over the kitchen
• If there is no manual safety shut off, or if the automatic shut off is defective, the appliance may overheat and cause a fire or explosion

INJURIES CAUSED FROM INSTANT POT PRESSURE COOKER EXPLOSIONS

With skyrocketing gas prices and inflation, more of us are cooking at home. When more of us are cooking at home, electric pressure cookers are in high demand and, unfortunately, pressure cooker injuries are on the rise. Although, in general, pressure cookers can be a very safe way to conveniently provide healthy home-cooked meals.  The rise in injuries is primarily due to defective pressure cooker devices available on the market today.

If you own a pressure cooker, you should search the brand name to find out if a recall has been issued for that device. Many brands have issued recalls and/or reported defects.

Some of the brand names that have reported defects and/or recalls include:

• Breville Fast Slow Cookers
• Tristar Power Pressure Cooker
• Tristar Power Pressure Cooker XL
• Gourmia Express Pot Electric Pressure Cooker
• Crock-Pot Express Multi-Cooker
• Instant Gem 65 Multi-Cooker (this model is not a pressure cooker, but a multi-cooker recalled due to fire hazard)
• Sunbeam 6-Pot Pressure Cooker
• Instant Pot “Smart” Model Pressure Cooker
• Nutrex Pressure Cooker
• Ultrex-Brand Pressure Cooker

All of these appliances claim to have built-in safety features, but users have reported burns, explosions ,and other hazards from using these electric pressure cookers.

PRODUCT LIABILITY LAWSUITS FOR DEFECTIVE PRESSURE COOKERS

There are many types of products that can cause injuries, and in general, product liability lawsuits that provide compensation for injury-causing defective products fall into three categories.

• Defectively manufactured products: This involves products that became defective by mistakes made during production, or somewhere along the chain of distribution.
• Defectively designed products: This involves products that were flawed by design, even if they were manufactured correctly according to that defective design. In the case of a faulty pressure cooker, this could mean the design for the pressure valve was flawed, or the lid was designed to not fit properly.
• Failure to provide proper instructions or warnings: Claims such as these may also be referred to as “defective marketing,” and they involve the lack of appropriate instructions on how to use the product, or warnings of what injuries may result from improper use.

Generally speaking, product liability lawsuits are filed against any and all parties along the distribution chain of the product that caused the injury. This typically includes the manufacturer, retailer, suppliers, wholesalers, and any other distributors who may have helped bring the product to market. Other parties who may be named in a product liability lawsuit could include quality-control engineers, designers, contractors, consultants, and any other party who may have contributed to the product’s injury-causing defect. If you or your loved one suffered any injuries due to a defective pressure cooker, contact our attorneys for help. Our lawyers will fight for your justice and make sure you receive the compensation you truly deserve.

FILING A LAWSUIT AFTER A PRESSURE COOKER EXPLOSION

If you or someone you know has suffered a pressure cooker explosion injury due to a faulty electric pressure cooker, you may be entitled to compensation from the manufacturer for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering. Areas of recovery may include:

• Past and future pain and suffering
• Past and future medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Loss of ability to earn future wages
• Life care services
• Personal assistance & support
• Any necessary home modifications
• Compensation for damage to your home
• Punitive damages
• and more

Don’t hesitate to call us if you are suffering injuries that were caused by a pressure cooker, we are dedicated to making sure you are seeking the proper medical care and the justice you deserve. We will continue to fight until your justice is served. Get your pressure cooker lawsuit started with us by scheduling your free consultation.

SERIOUS INJURIES – REQUIRE SERIOUS ATTORNEYS

Our firm understands the repercussions of a serious accident. If you are injured due to another party’s negligence, you should not have to fight the uphill battle for compensation on your own. When you hire Ferrell & Brown, you are hiring a devoted, caring, and aggressive team who will tenaciously fight for you. If you or someone you know was injured in a wreck and wishes to schedule a consultation, please do not hesitate to contact Ferrell & Brown.