Modern pressure cookers promise convenience and efficiency, but manufacturing defects can transform these kitchen tools into dangerous devices capable of causing life-altering injuries. Burns, scarring, and eye injuries from exploding lids and superheated contents are just some of the devastating consequences victims face.
At Meyers & Flowers, we have represented numerous pressure cooker explosion victims throughout Illinois. Our Chicago product liability attorneys understand the physical, emotional, and financial toll these accidents take on victims and their families. We are committed to holding manufacturers accountable for defective products and securing the compensation you deserve.
CPSC Recall Alert: Problematic Pressure Cooker Brands
Pressure cookers can be a timesaving appliance, but because they cook foods quickly through the production of high heat and pressure, they can also cause serious burns if defectively designed or manufactured. Several brands are currently under a recall notice issued by the Consumer Protection Safety Commission (CPSC), including the following:
- Ultrex-Brand
- Breville
- Manttra
- Pressure Cookers sold on QVC (Model PC501)
- Double Insight
- Crock-Pot Multi-Cookers
- Farberware
- Tristar Products
- NuWave Pressure Cookers
- Power Pressure Cooker XL
- Instant Pot
- Nutri-Pot
- Cook’s Essentials
- Maxi Matic
- Cuisinart
- Models PPC770, PPC780, PPC790, TRI6, WAL1
- Best Buy Insignia Pressure Cookers
- Sensio Pressure Cookers (Bella, Crux, Cooks)
Exploding Pressure Cookers
Pressure cookers are inherently dangerous, as the appliance creates high heat and a tremendous buildup of steam pressure. Any faulty or sub-standard manufacturing standards can result in the unit exploding or unexpectedly releasing superheated steam. Upon exploding, the contents are thrown into the room, often directly onto the body and face of a person nearby.
Manufacturers and retailers who sold defective products that caused injuries must be held accountable for providing consumers with dangerous products. Our legal team at Meyers & Flowers is currently investigating cases of faulty pressure cookers that have caused serious burns, whether one of the listed brands or other brands such as Tristar that are still sold on the market. Some potentially dangerous units are still sold by various retailers, even after consumer complaints to the CPSC. Some of the design flaws that have left consumers with serious, disfiguring burns include:
- Faulty seals
- Defective safety pins
- Failure to warn consumers of dangers
- Defective steam venting, leading to explosion
- Faulty gaskets
- Defective safety valves
Burns to Face and Body
The burns associated with steam are extremely painful, difficult to treat, and may leave the victim with disfiguring scars. The resulting burns often cover large portions of the upper torso, as well as arms, hands, shoulders, neck, and face. Treatment for these burns involves scraping burned skin off the body (debridement), an extremely painful procedure. Third-degree burns damage both layers of skin and can also affect underlying muscles and tendons. Any person who has been seriously burned as the result of a pressure cooker explosion should retain legal counsel immediately.
Faulty Design or Manufacturing: Pressure Cooker Cases
For a pressure cooker to work correctly, it must be designed and assembled correctly. Pressure cookers are typically equipped with a locking lid that makes it impossible for the appliance to open once it reaches a specific pressure level. Excess pressure is then released through a rocker or gasket. The spring-loaded valve serves to regulate the level of pressure building within the appliance. Any error in the design or manufacturing of this part of the unit poses a great risk for consumers. If the pressure release safety device was not assembled or manufactured correctly, the appliance can continue to build up excessive pressure, causing the pressure cooker to explode – a dangerous hazard for any person nearby.
Watch a Real Pressure Cooker Explosion
Our team has acquired some of the top experts across the country to help replicate the conditions of our client’s incidents to demonstrate the dangers of defective pressure cookers.
Compensation in a Pressure Cooker Explosion Claim
If you were the victim of a pressure cooker explosion, you may be entitled to significant compensation for your injuries. In a product liability lawsuit, damages typically include:
- Medical expenses for emergency treatment
- Surgeries
- Skin grafts
- Ongoing care
- Future medical needs related to your injuries
- Lost wages for time away from work during recovery
- Potential future income losses if your injuries affect your earning capacity
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma
- Diminished quality of life resulting from permanent scarring or disabilities
- Property damage to your kitchen and home
The value of your settlement will vary based on several factors, including the severity of your injuries, long-term prognosis, and the manufacturer’s degree of negligence. At Meyers & Flowers, we thoroughly evaluate all aspects of your case to determine appropriate compensation. Our product liability attorneys work diligently to document the full extent of your damages, consult with medical experts when necessary, and aggressively negotiate with manufacturers.
Statute of Limitations for Product Liability in Illinois
If you have been injured by a defective pressure cooker in Illinois, time is critical for your legal claim. State law imposes a strict two-year statute of limitations from the date of your injury to file a lawsuit. Waiting beyond this deadline typically bars you from pursuing compensation regardless of the merit of your case.
Additionally, Illinois has a 12-year statute of repose that begins running once the product is sold, and a 10-year statute of repose starting from when the product was delivered to its first owner. The state legislature also prohibits strict liability lawsuits beyond eight years from the purchase date.
Do not leave your legal rights up to chance. An attorney from Meyers & Flowers can help you sort through these requirements and identify your filing deadline. After seeking medical care, protect your right to compensation by contacting a lawyer right away.
How a Pressure Cooker Lawsuit Attorney Can Support Your Case
The aftermath of a pressure cooker explosion can be scary and disorienting. While you are trying to recover, you may find yourself up against large corporations and their teams of lawyers. This is why you need an attorney of your own on your side.
Meyers & Flowers has represented victims of defective products in their legal claims for years. We know how to identify potential defects in your pressure cooker model and build a compelling case in your favor. From the beginning, we handle all aspects of your case, from gathering medical documentation that links your injuries to the explosion to calculating fair compensation that accounts for both the immediate and long-term consequences of your injuries.
We work with qualified engineers and product safety experts who can testify about design flaws, inadequate warnings, or manufacturing defects. Our firm also tracks recall information and similar complaints about your pressure cooker model, strengthening your claim with evidence of pattern failures.
Contact our Chicago Product Liability Litigation Team for Help
At Meyers & Flowers, our litigation team is prepared to assist consumers who have suffered serious burns due to pressure cooker malfunction. Our trial lawyers have garnered a reputation for excellence in the courtroom, and we offer our assistance for your case. Connect with us at once if you or your family member was injured due to a faulty pressure cooker – we offer a free case evaluation and can advise you how to proceed with legal action.