Pressure Cooker Injuries

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What You Need To Know About Pressure Cooker Injuries

If you know someone who enjoys making quick, healthy meals at home, chances are they have a pressure cooker. 

These versatile kitchen appliances are hardly new, however. In fact, their origin  dates to the 17th century. That’s when French physicist Denis Papin and  Irish physicist Robert Boyle put a substantial iron pot to the test by tightly sealing its  lid and using weight to inhibit steam pressure.  As they discovered, this caused water to boil at a higher temperature. This meant that food could be cooked faster without sacrificing nutritional value.

Clearly, modern pressure cookers are a far cry from the simple pot that changed cooking all those years ago. The newest versions not only come in various sizes but are also  equipped with features including locking lid devices, several valves, and dual pressure regulators. Some even come with sophisticated features, such as  digital temperature control and Wi-Fi connectivity.

While some of the features on the newer models are supposed to improve safety, injuries still happen. In some cases victims have sued companies that make pressure cookers, alleging that defective products caused their injuries. 

If you or someone you know were injured due to a pressure cooker “explosion,” Van Law Firm may be able to help you get the compensation you deserve. Keep reading to learn more.

How Do Pressure Cookers Work?

Even with all of the technological advances in recent years, pressure cookers are still deceptively simple. Here’s how they work.

These appliances trap steam inside the cooking container. This results in both elevated pressure and elevated temperature, which facilitates faster cooking. 

Common safety features include: 

• Silicone rings or gaskets – which are placed around the  pot lip to help contain steam and pressure.
• Safe-lock lids – which are designed to prevent pressure build-up when the lids aren’t sealed correctly, and stop lids from opening if the pressure hasn’t been released.
• Sensors – which maintain safe pressure and heat levels, and warn users when heat and/or pressure exceed acceptable ranges.
• Pressure valves – which catch and let steam and pressure to vent safely.

While these parts prevent injuries when they function properly, some lawsuits have alleged that defects in these components have led to pressure cooker injuries.

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Do Pressure Cookers Really Explode?

When most of us think about a pressure cooker explosion, we likely picture the actual pressure cooker blowing into a million little pieces with a loud bang and spewing the contents all over the kitchen.

Fortunately, that doesn’t usually happen. Instead, when used in a legal context, the term pressure cooker explosion refers to the forceful expulsion  of incredibly hot food or liquids from the cooker due to defective design or components. It is also used in cases where faulty design or parts cause the lid to fly off, striking and injuring users.

The most common injuries stemming from these incidents are so-called thermal burns. These burns, which are especially nasty, are known to cause considerable pain along with infections, scarring and disfigurement. In extreme cases these types of burns stemming from contact with extremely hot liquid or food can even affect subcutaneous muscle or tissue. In addition to physical harm, these burns can also lead to suffering and emotional distress.

Along with burn injuries, plaintiffs in pressure cooker explosion cases have sustained eye injuries, lacerations, associated bleeding and even traumatic brain injuries.

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Legal Action Taken Against Pressure Cooker Makers

People injured while using pressure cookers have sued several brands over the years. These include but are not limited to Instant Pot, Crock Pot, Breville and Tristar Power Pressure Cooker XL. Some of the other brands named as defendants in these cases are Bella, Costway, Cuisinart, Elite Bistro, Fager EZ Lock, Ninja Foodi, NuWave, Phillipe Richards, Presto, and Wolfgang Puck.

In one case, for example, a Texas woman who allegedly sustained serious burns while using Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker sued the manufacturer, SharkNinja Operating LLC. Filed  in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division. In the lawsuit, which she filed in 2024, the plaintiff sought  compensation for financial and non-financial losses including:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Past and future loss of earnings/earning capacity
• Past and future physical impairment
• Past and future disfigurement
• Past and future mental anguish
• Past and future physical pain and suffering

US Consumer Product Safety Commission Recalls Nearly 2 Million Pressure Cookers

SharkNinja recently found itself back in the news, as the United States Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reportedly recalled 1.8 million of its pressure cookers in the United States and Canada due to the potential for “serious burn injuries.” 

According to published reports, the pressure cookers subject to the May 1 recall are the Ninja Foodi OP300 Series Multi-Function pressure cooker and air fryer. These appliances  can unlock while still pressurized, causing a so-called pressure cooker “explosions.”  In all, the CPSC has received more than 100 burn injury reports  with a significant number of those including second- or third-degree facial burns. You can find a list of the model numbers affected by the recall here. 

Contact Experienced Pressure Cooker Injury Attorneys Today

If you or someone you know was injured while using a pressure cooker you may be able to seek legal compensation for economic and non-economic damages. But it’s up to you to take the first step. Contact Van Law Firm for a free consultation and case evaluation today.