If you have a pressure cooker, it might just be your kitchen’s MVP. Pressurized cooking allows meat, vegetables, grains and even desserts to cook at a much faster pace—but are they safe?
According to the National Law Review, the latest pressure cooker lawsuit was filed in April 2021, against the makers of the Instant Pot line. Numerous pressure cookers, from Sunbeam and the Instant Pot line, have been recalled due to kitchen explosions.
Naturally, you should follow all pressure cooker safety precautions—when you combine high pressure and hot temperatures, following protocol is a must. If you were injured by an exploding pressure cooker, even if you followed all the rules, it may be due to a manufacturing or design defect. Talk to a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to assess your case.
What Kind of Injuries Can Pressure Cookers Inflict?
A defective pressure cooker is tantamount to a bomb inside your kitchen. Victims of pressure cooker explosions can get hurt by hot water and steam eruptions, which are usually more than 40 degrees Fahrenheit past the boiling temperature. Hot food, grease and oil can also cause extreme burns, requiring skin grafts and other extreme measures.
Victims may also be injured by shrapnel from the pressure cooker itself. Pot lids and handles have embedded themselves in ceilings, metal components have injured plaintiffs and people have suffered traumatic brain injuries as a result. Burns, severe blood loss, broken bones, amputations and eye injuries may occur.
What to Do if You’re Injured by a Pressure Cooker
The vast majority of pressure cookers work perfectly for many years, especially if you follow all the instructions and safety precautions. However, if your pressure cooker malfunctions and harms you, seek medical treatment immediately. Your doctors will do all that they can to mitigate the damage and help you get back on track to normal life.
Once you’re medically stable, call a personal injury lawyer. They’ll review your case and let you know if you have a claim worth pursuing. Assuming that you followed instructions and safety precautions, your lawyer may be able to pursue a products liability and manufacturing defect case (among other types). This is a type of negligence claim in which the plaintiff asserts that a product was defective when it left the factory, malfunctioned and caused their injuries. Most pressure cooker lawsuits thus far use this theory.
Talk to an Ohio Personal Injury Lawyer About Your Case
If your pressure cooker has caused you injury, you deserve compensation. You shouldn’t have to bear the costs alone. I’ll Make Them Pay!® Call me today at 877.944.4373 for a consultation, and we’ll hold the manufacturers responsible.
