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Pressure cookers are airtight cooking devices, popular because they cook food quickly with a combination of heat and internal pressure. As the cooker heats up, liquid forms steam, increasing the pressure in the chamber. That high pressure drives the boiling point of water past 212°F, shortening cooking time. The high pressure also pushes liquid into the food, helping it stay moist. Many cooks use pressure cookers to tenderize meat or vegetables. They are popular for stews.
Pressure cookers have been around for centuries, since Denis Papin, a French physicist, created the Steam Digester around 1679. His airtight vessel, designed to extract fats and collagen from bones, was notable for the addition of a safety valve, to regulate the hot steam. Mass production began in Germany in 1864, but the pressure cooker only became a common home device in 1938, after Alfred Vischer created the Flexi-seal speed cooker. Demand grew after World War II. Use picked up further in the 1970s, following extensive campaigns about healthy eating.
Stovetop pressure cooker users control heat just like they would for any pot on the stove. More recently, plug-in pressure cookers, which use an electric heat source to maintain pressure while cooking, have dominated sales, led by Instant Pot. Some chefs still use stovetop pressure cookers because they generally can reach higher pressure levels than electric cookers.
Best Buy Announces Recall of Insignia Pressure Cookers Following Severe Burn Injuries
October 29, 2023 – In a significant move prompted by concerns over consumer safety, electronics, and appliance giant Best Buy has announced the recall of almost a million Insignia brand pressure cookers. These appliances have been linked to a series of burn incidents, with some of the victims sustaining second-degree and even more severe injuries.
The primary issue with these pressure cookers revolves around inaccurate volume markings on the inner pots. This misleading indicator can lead consumers to inadvertently overfill the cookers. When such overfilled appliances are vented or opened, hot food and liquids can spray out at high speed. Such a sudden expulsion not only poses immediate harm but can also lead to severe burns.
Reports received by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission confirm 31 such incidents. Tragically, 17 of these involved serious burn injuries, with a few being as intense as second-degree burns.
The range of recalled products includes 930,000 Insignia Multi-Function Pressure Cookers and specific inner pots meant for replacement purposes. These were available for purchase both in-store and online, with the selling period stretching from October 2017 up to June of the current year. Consumers can identify these potentially hazardous products through their model numbers, along with the prominent ‘Insignia’ label displayed on the unit.
For the safety of consumers, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission advises discontinuation of the use of these appliances. Those affected can reach out to Best Buy for free replacements of specific components. However, it’s essential to note that Best Buy, headquartered in Richfield, Minnesota, will not entertain requests for refunds or replacements made directly at their physical stores. Eligible consumers are encouraged to complete the necessary online registration to receive their replacement kits.
Best Buy, taking a strong stand on this issue, has expressed its commitment to customer safety. In their statement released last Friday, Best Buy emphasized that nothing is more critical to the company than its customers’ safety. Best Buy stated that it was also proactively reaching out to those who have purchased these now-recalled products.
Find a Top Pressure Cooker Lawsuit Lawyer
Pressure Cooker Burn Injury Lawsuits are on the rise, according to a news article published on Omaha.com. This news report states that two women from Nebraska filed lawsuits in two separate pressure cooker explosion incidents that caused the women significant injuries. In the first product liability lawsuit, Michelle Lieb of Gibbon filed suit against SharkNinja Operating LLC. In the second pressure cooker explosion lawsuit, the victim, Dawn Clary of Bellevue, filed her product liability lawsuit against Tristar Products Inc. and Spectrum Brands Holdings. The lawsuits, filed in U.S. District Court, alleged the pressure cookers exploded and caused their injuries because the units were defectively designed.
Clary’s complaint stated that she purchased her Tristar’s Power Quick Pot (model Y6D-36) at a Walmart, and she used the Power Quick Pot frequently and according to its instructions. The victim also stated that she did not have any problems with the cooker for the first four months. However, on July 17, 2020, while she was cooking a roast, she opened the cooker’s pressure release valve following the safety beep that alerts the user when the pressure has dissipated. She opened the cooker’s lid, and the pressure cooker’s hot contents exploded out of the cooker and scalded her. According to her attorney, Tristar should have added a pressure sensor to display when the unit is pressurized and added a feature that prevents users from accidentally overriding the deadbolt function. The victim is seeking a jury trial and is demanding $6,600 in medical bills, as well as $143,000 in lost wages and other compensatory damages.
In the SharkNinja case, the Plaintiff purchased her Ninja Electric Pressure Cooker (model OP300), at the Kearney Walmart. According to her complaint, on August 15, 2022, Ms. Lieb was using her Ninja Electric Pressure Cooker when she attempted to depressurize the cooker. However, unknown to the victim, the Ninja Cooker had a defect causing the unit to retain a dangerous amount of pressure. Although the Ninja Electric Pressure Cooker was marketed as having built-in safety features, the victim was able to remove the lid easily, causing hot contents to suddenly exploded out of the pot. She sustained severe burn injuries to her stomach and arm. She also has significant scarring on her abdomen, wrist, and arm. According to her attorney, the Ninja Electric Pressure Cooker has the same design defect as the Tristar Power Quick Pot. The victim, in this case, is suing for damages of more than $75,000, plus compensation for pain and suffering and permanent disfigurement.
Several pressure cooker manufacturers are facing individual lawsuits and class action lawsuits due to victims suffering severe and life-altering burns and injuries caused by their defective pressure cookers. In many of these cases, victims suffered permanent scarring or disfigurement.
The primary cause of these injuries is due to the unexpected and sudden release of pressure when the consumer removes the lid, and the cooker is failed to depressurize. In some cases, the lid becomes loose on its own, and the hot liquid inside the cooker violently and forcibly shoots out of the pressure cooker and scalds nearby people.
Pressure Cooker Explosion Injury Lawsuits Are on the Rise
The two aforementioned pressure cooker injury lawsuits are only two recent cases among the hundreds of claims filed across the United States. These pressure cooker lawsuits also allege product safety failures resulting in severe burn injuries and disfiguring scars.
At Parker Waichman LLP, our firm is reviewing cases and filing pressure cooker lawsuits against several major brands, including Tristar Products for the Power Pressure Cooker XL, Sunbeam for the Crock-Pot Multicooker, Emeril Lagasse Pressure Cookers, SharkNinja, Gourmia, Instant Pot, Bena Casa, Bella, Maxi-Matic, and several others. If a pressure cooker has harmed you or a loved one, you may be able to receive substantial monetary compensation for your injuries and other damages. For your free case review and consultation, call our firm at 1-800-YOUR-LAWYER (1-800-968-7529).
The Most Common Pressure Cooker Defects
Safety can be an issue with pressure cookers. If high-pressure steam is release suddenly, it will do serious damage to anything in the vicinity. Certain features that can fail, such as:
- Instruction Issues: The instruction manual may be inadequate or have errors.
- Lid Lock Defects: The lid lock might not fully engage, allowing the cooker to pressurize even when it’s not completely locked
- Locking Pin Defects: The locking pin is too soft or too short.
- Float Valve Defects: The float valve can become stuck or get clogged.
- Strike Plate Defects: When the strike plate bends, it allows the unit to be opened while pressurized.
Our attorneys have seen mislabeled parts, errors in instruction manuals, and part replacements being completed then the units are sold to an unknowing public.
If an exploding pressure cooker has injured you or a loved one, a product liability lawsuit could be filed to recover economic damages on your behalf. Those damages may include compensation for medical costs, pain, suffering, future medical treatment, lost earnings, and other compensatory damages.
Have You or a Loved One Been Burned By One of These Recalled Pressure Cookers?
The following are just some of the pressure cookers that are under review, subject to a recall, or otherwise being looked at as having potentially dangerous defects:
- ALDI’s Crofton brand pressure cooker
- Ninja Electric Pressure Cooker
- Tristar’s Power Quick Pot
- Elite Bistro Pressure Cooker
- Power Pressure Cooker XL
- Mirro pressure cooker
- Nuwave PC pressure cooker
- Wolfgang Puck brand pressure cooker
- HSN’s Ultrex pressure cooker
- Cuisinart brand pressure cooker
- Manttra Multi pressure cooker
- Philippe Richards pressure cooker
- Breville Fast Slow Cooker
- Instant Pot pressure cooker
- Ginny’s pressure cooker
Can You File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
If you or a member of your family were hurt by a pressure cooker lid that could be opened although the cooker was still under pressure or by an exploding pressure cooker, you could be entitled to substantial monetary compensation.
Do I Qualify to Receive Monetary Compensation?
If you or a loved one was burned or sustained another serious injury while using a pressure cooker, call us for your free consultation. Those who have been harmed could be eligible to obtain compensation to help them with their recovery needs. The following questions help determine whether you or your loved one can pursue a lawsuit against the pressure cooker manufacturer for damages:
- Did you or a loved one use a pressure cooker, and can you provide evidence revealing how you obtained the cooker?
- Did liquid and/or food explode out of the cooker when you or your loved one tried to remove its lid?
- Did this liquid food and/or food injure or burn you or a loved one?
- Did you or a loved one use the pressure cooker according to the maker’s instructions?
- Did you or a loved one accrue medical bills due to the injuries sustained from a pressure cooker?
Answering “Yes” to these questions, and you have met the statutes of limitations, you may be qualified to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer to recover compensation. This compensation may include compensation for medical bills, prescription painkillers, surgical costs, lost income, disfigurement, scarring, and mental anguish you have suffered.
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