Pressure cookers have long been a staple in kitchens, offering the ability to prepare meals quickly by using pressurized steam. However, despite their convenience, pressure cookers have become the subject of numerous lawsuits due to defects that have led to serious injuries. These legal cases have involved plaintiff claims of manufacturing flaws, product defects, and failures to warn that have resulted in burns, explosions, and property damage.
If you or a loved one has faced injuries due to a defective pressure cooker, you don’t have to face the company that is at fault alone. Farah & Farah will be on your side to hold the manufacturer that caused your injuries accountable.
What Kinds of Defects Can Pressure Cookers Have?
The most common defects that have occurred include:
Lid Malfunctions
One of the most dangerous defects involves the lid’s locking mechanism. In some defective models, the lid can open while the pressure cooker is still under pressure. This can cause hot steam, liquids, and food to be ejected forcefully, leading to severe burns and scalding injuries. Faulty lids may fail to lock properly or the pressure sensor may malfunction, allowing the lid to be removed too early.
Pressure Release Valve Failures
Another common issue is a malfunctioning pressure release valve, which is supposed to safely release excess pressure. If this valve fails, pressure can continue to build to dangerous levels inside the cooker. In some cases, this has led to explosions, with the cooker bursting open and causing hot contents to spill out, resulting in injuries and property damage.
Overheating and Explosions
Defective pressure cookers have also been reported to overheat due to problems with their temperature regulation systems. In some cases, these defects have caused the cookers to explode, sending hot food and steam flying and leading to burns, fire hazards, and kitchen damage.
Seal or Gasket Failures
Pressure cookers rely on tight seals to maintain pressure during cooking. If the seal or gasket is defective or wears out prematurely, it can result in the cooker losing pressure or leaking steam and hot liquid. These defects can cause the lid to pop off unexpectedly or allow hot liquids to escape, posing a risk to users.
Inadequate Safety Features
Some pressure cookers, especially older models or poorly designed units, may lack modern safety features such as automatic pressure sensors, multiple locking mechanisms, and emergency pressure release systems. The absence of these features makes the device more prone to malfunctions and accidents.
Electrical Issues
Electric pressure cookers may suffer from wiring or electrical malfunctions, which can lead to overheating, short circuits, or even fires. Defective electrical components can also interfere with the cooker’s pressure regulation, increasing the risk of explosion.
What Injuries Have Pressure Cooker Users Faced?
People have sustained a range of serious injuries from defective pressure cookers due to malfunctions like premature lid openings, explosions, and faulty pressure release valves. The most common injuries include:
Severe Burns
Burns are the most frequent and serious injuries reported from defective pressure cookers. When a pressure cooker lid opens prematurely or the pressure release valve malfunctions, the hot contents (liquids, steam, and food) can spray out at high pressure, leading to first-, second-, or even third-degree burns. Many users have reported burns on their hands, arms, faces, and torsos from steam and contact with the pressure cooker.
- Steam burns: Hot steam under pressure can cause immediate scalding injuries.
- Contact burns: When a cooker explodes or malfunctions, the hot surface of the pot itself or the food inside can cause significant burns.
First-Degree Burns
First-degree burns are the least severe and affect only the outer layer of skin (the epidermis). These burns cause redness, mild pain, and swelling. The affected skin may become dry or slightly tender to the touch. First-degree burns usually heal within a few days to a week without scarring. Common examples include sunburns or minor burns from touching a hot surface briefly.
Second-Degree Burns
Second-degree burns affect both the epidermis and the dermis (the second layer of skin). These burns are more serious and cause blisters, severe redness, swelling, and intense pain. The skin may appear moist or oozing. Depending on the severity, second-degree burns can take several weeks to heal and may result in scarring. Deep second-degree burns may require medical treatment to prevent infection and promote healing.
Third-Degree Burns
Third-degree burns are the most severe, affecting the epidermis, dermis, and underlying tissues such as fat or muscle. These burns destroy all layers of skin. The skin may appear white, charred, leathery, or blackened. Surprisingly, these burns can be painless at the center due to nerve damage, although the surrounding areas can be extremely painful. Third-degree burns require immediate medical attention and often need skin grafts or surgical intervention. They take months to heal and almost always leave significant scarring.
Scalding Injuries
Scalds occur when hot liquids from the pressure cooker make contact with the skin. Since pressure cookers often contain boiling liquids, the sudden release of these fluids can lead to painful scalding injuries that require medical treatment and, in some cases, surgery or skin grafts.
Eye Injuries
Exploding pressure cookers can also cause eye injuries, either from hot liquid splashing into the eyes or from debris flying into the face. In severe cases, these eye injuries can cause long-term vision problems or blindness.
Nerve Damage
In severe burn cases, users may experience nerve damage, particularly if the burn penetrates deeply into the skin layers. Nerve damage can result in loss of sensation or motor function in the affected area.
Which Companies Are Facing Pressure Cooker Lawsuits?
A number of different pressure cooker manufacturers are facing or have faced lawsuits over defects and failures to warn of potential injuries. The following companies have been involved in defective pressure cooker lawsuits:
- Instant Pot
- Sunbeam (Crock Pot)
- Tristar Products (Quick Pot)
- Elite Bistro
- Ninja Foodi
- Cuisinart
- NuWave
- Breville (Fast Slow Cooker)
- Bella Cucina
- Wolfgang Puck
- Fagor
- Phillipe Richards
- Maxi-Matic
- Cooks Essentials
- Nutri-Pot
- Ultrex
Pressure Cooker Recalls
As a result of the injuries caused by the pressure cooker defects, many companies have recalled the affected pressure cookers. For example, Sunbeam has recalled the specific type of pressure cooker that had caused injury: Crock-Pot® 6-Quart Express Crock Multi-Cookers. If you own a pressure cooker, make sure to check the product page for the company that manufactured it to see if there’s been a recall. The company typically offers a replacement for the defective device, even if you haven’t actually been injured by the pressure cooker in question.
If You’ve Been Injured, Farah & Farah Is Here for You
Product manufacturers have a duty to produce safe products and warn of any risks that may be involved with using their products. However, some may prioritize profits over safety and the people who use their devices. If you have been hospitalized or scarred due to injuries from a defective pressure cooker, Farah & Farah is here for you, ready to stand by your side and fight the company whose negligence changed your life. Contact us today for a free consultation. Remember, you won’t have to pay anything unless your case is successful.
