Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawsuit

A pressure cooker explosion can destroy your kitchen and cause devastating injuries to anyone nearby. As pressure cookers gain popularity, the number of pressure cooker lawsuits filed due to these explosions is increasing. Numerous recalls have been ordered across the country for a variety of safety issues. 

Learn more about pressure cooker explosion lawsuits and how we can help if you were injured in a pressure cooker accident. Fortunately, pressure cooker injuries have precedent in Arizona law, and our team has handled these cases and knows how to find evidence supporting your individual or class action pressure cooker lawsuit.

Pressure Cooker Lawsuits

Pressure cookers have always been dangerous; however, modern improvements to these devices have made make pressure cooking relatively safe and user-friendly. Innovations include stainless steel and digital warnings. Newer pressure cookers are also made with materials that resist corrosion. 

Warning messages on screens and other convenient visual indicators let users know when it is unsafe to open the appliance, which reduces some of the risks to the cook and any bystanders. Corrosion-resistant stainless steel makes modern pressure cookers less likely to overheat than their aluminum counterparts. 

Despite these improvements, manufacturing defects still leave users vulnerable to painful injuries and traumatic scarring. Defects allowing pressure cookers to be opened while still under pressure cause scalding hot liquid to explode out of the appliances. 

Severe Burns Caused by Crock-Pot Express Pressure Cooker

For example, Crock-Pot Express Pressure Cooker users have reported serious burns even when closely adhering to the instructions provided in the product manual. 

A lawsuit against Sunbeam, the company that manufactures Crock-Pots, states that consumers were injured for a couple of reasons. Some incidents involved faulty gaskets, while others were due to incidences of a defective pressure release device.

California Scalding from Faulty Timing Mechanism

Pressure cooker defects are not limited to a specific manufacturer or region. One husband and wife in California sued both the manufacturer of their cooker and the store that sold it to them. The wife claimed that despite using the appliance’s timing mechanism and securing the lid, excessive steam escaped from the pot just before it exploded, leaving her scalded.

Florida Second-Degree Burns from Tristar Power Pressure Cooker XL

A woman in Florida sustained second-degree burns on her hands, arms, and chest after the lock on her Tristar Power Pressure Cooker XL pressure cooker failed, causing her to suffer permanent scarring. Several consumers injured before her had previously filed complaints against Tristar.

Colorado Third-Degree Burns to a Child Caused by Instant Pot

A nine-year-old child in Colorado suffered third-degree burns after hot soup spewed from her parent’s pressure cooker all over her. The child was left with painful burns covering 16% of her body. Her parents took legal action against Instant Pot after the incident.

When to File a Lawsuit for a Pressure Cooker Explosion

It takes time to learn how to use a pressure cooker effectively. There’s a difference between injuries obtained during learning and injuries sustained due to a product failure. Our pressure cooker explosion lawyers can help you determine when you may have a legal case. 

Common causes of pressure cooker injuries include the following:

• Ineffective lid seals
• Improperly manufactured gaskets
• Poor venting
• Defective pressure cooker lids
• Failed automatic shut-offs

All these failures can result in an explosion when they are not properly addressed. If you find yourself dealing with any of the above or an explosive aftermath, you can work with our team to present your case in civil court.

When to Enter into a Class Action Lawsuit

There is a chance that you may not be the only person contending with pressure cooker losses. If a specific brand released a pressure cooker that then caused several people to be injured, you might have the opportunity to pursue a class action lawsuit.

You can work with one of our attorneys to connect with other injured parties in your area. You can then elect a primary plaintiff and collectively submit your losses to a county clerk. Our team can help you avoid the complexities of class action while pursuing compensation for your losses.

Bolstering Your Pressure Cooker Injuries Claim

Building a pressure cooker claim doesn’t have to be a challenge, and your claim will not target a specific individual with the intent to hold them liable for your losses. Instead, you’ll direct a pressure cooker explosion claim toward that pressure cooker’s manufacturer.

When you bring a claim against a larger company, it’s easy to feel intimidated by that company’s legal resources. As long as your initial complaint is comprehensive, though, you have a chance of moving your case to either trial or negotiation. With that in mind, your initial pressure cooker explosion complaint needs to include the following:

• The manner in which the pressure cooker was damaged
• The circumstances that led to the explosion
• Precedent detailing similar incidents with similar pressure cookers, if applicable
• The extent of your injuries related to the explosion
• An estimate of your desired personal injury compensation

Our team can recreate the scene of an explosion to determine what kind of mechanical failure may have resulted in damage to you and your home. In turn, we can refer to case precedents throughout Arizona to determine if any other people who’ve purchased your pressure cooker experienced similar problems. This research makes it easier to kickstart your case.

Responsibility of Pressure Cooker Manufacturers

The product manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that pressure cookers are free of defects and design flaws and contain adequate instructions for their use. National law requires manufacturers to ensure that their products meet minimum safety standards. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has implemented numerous regulations for consumer products.

With millions of products being developed and distributed each year, an occasional defective part or device malfunction is bound to pop up. That said, when manufacturers learn of a serious issue, they must take measures to correct the problem.

As a consumer, you can help make a difference by reporting dangerous products to the CPSC. This enables the CPSC to compile a database of such reports and address them with the manufacturer.

Calculating Your Possible Financial Recovery in a Pressure Cooker Case

The losses you endure in a pressure cooker accident aren’t confined to physical injuries. Pressure cookers can do significant damage to the rest of your home, too. With that in mind, you have the right to request damages based on the full extent of your losses. 

This means your estimated compensation can include the cost of the following:

• Medical bills related to your accident care
• Mobility aids, pain medications, and physical therapy
• Property damage
• Property repair and replacement
• Lost opportunities for work or wages
• Long and short-term disability payments
• Wrongful death and funeral expenses, as applicable

No two pressure cooker explosion lawsuits’ damages are the same in value. While you can refer to legal precedent to establish the value of your non-economic damages, Zanes Law calculates a unique estimate for your specific case.

Arizona’s Statute of Limitations on Product Liability Cases

Pressure cooker explosion suits constitute personal injury cases in the eyes of Arizona courts. With that in mind, the statute of limitations that applies to car accidents, premises liability cases, and dog bites also applies to your case. According to A.R.S. §12-542, you have two years from the day your pressure cooker explodes to bring a suit against its manufacturer.

You do not have to take the full two years to file your complaint. However, failure to submit your complaint within this designated time period can see a court reject your request for damages out of hand. Fortunately, a pressure cooker explosion lawyer can help you stay on top of your legal deadlines.

Contending with Settlement Offers from Pressure Cooker Manufacturers

The manufacturers who make today’s most popular pressure cookers may be made aware of their product’s failure before you have time to reach out to an attorney. In these cases, an insurance provider may contact you with a settlement offer before you can calculate the extent of your accident-related losses.

It is not in your best interest to accept a settlement offer without first consulting an attorney. Insurance providers will use underhanded tricks to try and cheat you out of the financial support to which you may be entitled. If you sign certain documents too early, you can limit your own right to take legal action against a company.

With that in mind, reach out to Zanes Law as soon as you can after a pressure cooker explosion. We’ll take the burden of pressure cooker explosion research off of your back so that you can recover in peace. In turn, we’ll fight for the maximum compensation you need to contend with your losses.

Our Product Liability Lawyers Can Help with Your Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawsuit

Pressure cookers may be convenient, but they’re also known to cause a litany of injuries. If you believe your pressure cooker injury may have been the result of shoddy manufacturing or inappropriate sales techniques, you may have the right to pursue a civil case.

Is it time for you to fight for your post-accident financial support? Zanes Law’s pressure cooker explosion lawyers in Phoenix are on your side. Contact us over the phone or online to learn more about our previous pressure cooker explosion lawsuits.