Pressure Cooker Defects: How Does Pressure Cooker Malfunction Occur?

Pressure Cookers can suffer from defects of design.

These defects can risk explosion of the device itself, potentially seriously injuring those around it.

Defects may exist in many pressure cooker brands and types, including electric pressure cookers and stovetop pressure cookers.

Exploding Pressure Cookers

The most common defect with pressure cookers is the lack of proper design to safely release built up steam pressure.

If the high pressure inside a pressure cooker isn’t safely released, it can cause an explosion upon opening the device.

From a lid that just flies right off, to a gasket blown, to extremely heated water and steam spewing all around, a pressure cooker explosion can cause serious injury to a user.

Pressure cooker lids can shatter and act as shrapnel, hot steam and hot food can cause third degree burns, and even the pressure cooker safety mechanisms can become projectiles.

Common Causes Of Defective Pressure Cooker Explosions

Several brands of electric pressure cookers have been found to have defective parts and safety features that may jeopardize the safety of users.

Common causes of pressure cooker explosions include:

Faulty Gaskets

The rubber sealing rings around the top of the cooker that fail to keep the inside of the pressure cooker airtight.

A faulty gasket is a leading cause for pressure cooker explosions.

Improper Lid Seals And/Or Locks

Lid locking safety features that are ineffective can be easily overcome and allow the lid to be open even with a pressurized pressure cooker.

Defects on a pressure cooker’s lid are a major source of concern.

Improper Ventilation

Defective vents and ducts meant to release steam can be insufficient, leading to explosions.

Faulty Release Valve

Faulty release valves can create an unstable level of pressure that can cause a pressure cooker to explode.

Faulty Wiring

In electrical pressure cookers, faulty wiring can cause electrocutions and digital indication malfunction of the device.

Digital Indication Malfunction

When the device incorrectly lets the user know about the status of the pressure cooker (i.e. signaling that it is safe to open the pressure cooker when the user should not).

Common Pressure Cooker Explosion Injuries

When a pressure cooker explodes, there are several possible injuries that can occur.

The most common injuries due to explosion of a pressure cooker are:

• Burn injuries
• Cuts, scrapes and lacerations
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Electrocutions or electric shocks
• Catastrophic injuries, such as traumatic brain injury
• Wrongful death

Burns Caused By Defective Pressure Cookers

With pressure cookers often heating to 200 degrees or more, an injury resulting from a poorly designed or defective device can leave 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree burns.

If severe enough, these burns can even leave permanent scars or worse, call for the need of amputation.

Cuts & Scrapes From Defective Pressure Cookers

With enough pressure, a pressure cooker could violently explode and dispel shrapnel in all directions, potentially striking the face and body of anyone nearby.

Scarring & Disfigurement from Pressure Cooker Injuries

Injuries from defective pressure cookers often result in permanent scarring and disfigurement. Scarring and disfigurement can impact a person’s quality of life long after the pressure cooker exploded.

Permanent scarring and disfigurement often require future medical treatments that are expensive and burdensome.

Mental and physical therapy is common in burn victims and those disfigured or disabled by exploding pressure cookers.

Electrocutions or Electric Shocks Caused By Defective Pressure Cookers

As the main debris of the explosion is steam and highly heated water, contact with electrical outlets or circuits on electrical pressure cookers can cause electrocution injuries such as electrical shocks and burns.

Catastrophic Injuries Caused By Defective Pressure Cookers

An explosion from a pressure cooker can severely affect those around the device, including damage to eyes and face, leaving some victims blind.

The force at which a pressure cooker explodes may also be strong enough to cause a traumatic brain injury.

Burns, electrocutions and injuries caused by the explosions can range from less serious to extremely serious catastrophic injuries.

Wrongful Death Caused By Defective Pressure Cookers

If a catastrophic injury is severe enough, an exploding pressure cooker can be the cause of death to anyone nearby.

If you are representing an individual who suffered fatal injuries due to a pressure cooker explosion, you may qualify for a wrongful death lawsuit.

Defective Pressure Cooker Lawsuit

By law, manufacturers are required to adhere to minimum safety standards to ensure product functionality and user safety.

If you’ve been the victim to a pressure cooker explosion, you may be entitled to participate a defective pressure cooker lawsuit.

Do I Qualify For A Pressure Cooker Lawsuit?

If you have been injured by a defective pressure cooker, or severely burned due to an exploding pressure cooker, you may be entitled to compensation paid by the manufacturer.

Contact TorHoerman Law to speak about a potential defective pressure cooker lawsuit or use our chatbot to take a quiz now and find out if you qualify for the defective pressure cooker lawsuit right now.

Our law firm works on a contingency fee basis, which means we DO NOT charge for legal representation unless your case ends in success.

Should I Join Class Action Or File An Individual Claim?

If you are interested in receiving a refund or some financial compensation for the cost of the pressure cooker, a class action may be right for you.

If you intend to be compensated for losses related to a defective pressure cooker explosion, you should consider filling an individual defective pressure cooker lawsuit claim.

Class action lawsuits are, by design, a single solution to fit all.

They are the best option for a lawsuit involving a large number of people who have suffered the exact same financial loss.

Class actions allows for equal distribution of settlement money among claimants.

But, for those with the most severe injuries, a class action lawsuit may not offer a solution to the full spectrum of costs that they face as a result of their injury.

Individual claims are the better choice for victims that want to be properly compensated.

Individual claims create a better environment where the client is the focus and in control.

With the help of TorHoerman Law attorneys, a defective pressure cooker lawsuit can yield the best result to recover damages you incurred from your accident.

Pressure Cooker Lawsuits: What is Product Liability?

Product liability refers to the liability of a manufacturer and/or seller of any product for placing an injury-causing or defective product into the hand of a consumer.

A pressure cooker explosion is the result of a defective pressure cooker, making it eligible for a product liability claim.

Product liability claims against pressure cooker manufacturers typically fall into three (3) categories:

1. Defectively Manufactured
2. Defectively Designed
3. Failure to Warn

1. Defectively Manufactured

A defectively manufactured product claim is when the manufacturing process (or assembly) of the product differs from its intended design, fails to perform safely, and causes injury to the consumer.

The intended design of the product is said to be safe, with all possible care was exercised in the preparation and marketing of the product, yet an error in the manufacturing process makes the product unsafe.

This results in the manufacturer being liable for damages.

In the case of a faulty pressure cooker, a manufacturing error may have created weaker lid locks or left debris in the release value of the pressure cookers made.

2. Defectively Designed

A defectively designed product claim is when a product is inherently unsafe to the consumer (and people around) due to an unseen (or ignored) flaw in the design of the product.

The design of the product is unsafe if it fails to perform as safely as an ordinary consumer would expect when used as intended.

These design defects come before anything is even made and often affects the entire line of products.

With a defectively designed product, the manufacturing process is alleged to have built the product correctly according to the defective design and specification.

In the case of a defective pressure cooker, the original design for the pressure valve was flawed allowing for pressure build up, or the lid was designed to not fit properly, increasing the risk of a pressure cooker explosion.

3. Failure To Warn And Labeling Defects

Also referred to as “defectively marketed”, a Failure to Warn product claim involves injury to a consumer that results from failure to provide proper warnings describing potential risks and injuries that may result from use of the product.

These potential risks and injuries are often not obvious to the user and sometimes requires special precautions or diligence in use of the product.

In the case of a flawed pressure cooker, not ensuring the user knows that the contents of a pressurized pressure cooker can inflict serious damage if opened before being de-pressurized, makes the manufacturer liable for any injury resulting from a pressure cooker explosion.

Filing A Defective Pressure Cooker Lawsuit

The civil litigation process requires extreme attention to detail and can be overwhelming for someone who does not possess extensive legal knowledge.

A defective pressure cooker lawyer will need to be able to prove the liability of the manufacturer for any injuries that you have suffered.

Additionally, you will be obligated to show proof of mitigation, meaning that you have made a concerted effort to treat your injuries.

It is imperative to file your claim as soon as possible.

If you wait too long, the statute of limitations may expire, and your claim will become void.

Mitigate Injuries

If have been a victim of a pressure cooker explosion, see your doctor as soon as possible to receive the care necessary and see if surgery or immediate care will be needed.

It’s important to treat any injury related to a pressure cooker explosion as early as possible.

Make sure to follow orders from medical professionals and do everything in your power to mitigate future economic impacts related to your injury.

Hire A Defective Pressure Cooker Injury Lawyer

After getting the proper medical treatment, contact a TorHoerman Law for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your best legal options with an experienced attorney from our firm.

Hiring a personal injury attorney is an important first step.

Be sure to seek representation from an attorney who is experienced, well-resourced, and dedicated to your case.

An experienced personal injury attorney will be able to guide you along the legal process and ensure that you receive the maximum amount of compensation for the losses that you have suffered.

Defective Pressure Cooker Lawsuits: What are the Potential Damages?

If you have suffered any sort of injury related to a defective pressure cooker, you may be entitled to compensation from the manufacturer.

Damages refer to the total amount of losses, economic and non-economic, incurred as a result of an accident or injury.

TorHoerman Law’s defective pressure cooker attorneys will help you get the compensation you deserve.

Potential damages that can be recovered include:

• Permanent scarring and disfigurement that comes with serious burns
• Pain and suffering
• Medical expenses
• Lost wages and future wages
• Emotional damages
• Permanent disability
• Property damage
• Punitive damages

TorHoerman Law: Your Pressure Cooker Lawyers

If you or a loved one have suffered injuries or severe burns after your pressure cooker exploded, you may be eligible to file a Pressure Cooker Lawsuit against the manufacturer.

Contact us today for a free, no-obligation case consultation.

You can also use our chatbot to receive a free, instant online case evaluation and find out if you qualify for a Defective Pressure Cooker Lawsuit today.

TorHoerman Law has a team of experienced product liability attorneys ready to serve you.

To date, our firm has won more than $4 billion in verdicts and negotiated settlements for our clients.

We operate on a contingency fee basis, so we are always committed to getting the best results possible for our clients.