Exploding Pressure Cooker Lid? Know Your Rights to Compensation for Burn Injuries

Pressure cookers are designed to be a safe and efficient way to cook food. However, when a pressure cooker malfunctions, the results can be devastating. An exploding pressure cooker lid can cause severe burns and other injuries, leaving victims with significant medical bills, lost wages, and lasting trauma. Did you know that approximately 10% of home appliance injuries involve pressure cookers? If you or a loved one has been injured due to an exploding pressure cooker lid, it’s crucial to understand your rights and the potential for compensation.

Understanding the Risks of Pressure Cooker Explosions

Pressure cookers work by creating a high-pressure environment that cooks food quickly. This involves high heat and a tremendous buildup of steam pressure. Several factors can contribute to a pressure cooker explosion, including:

Defective Design: Many brands of electric pressure cookers have dangerous design flaws that can cause the device to malfunction and eject boiling liquid. Faulty lid locks or failed pressure indicators are common issues.
Manufacturing Errors: Sub-standard manufacturing standards can result in the unit exploding or unexpectedly releasing superheated steam.
User Error: Improper sealing or venting, overfilling the pressure cooker, or attempting to open the lid before the pressure has been fully released can lead to dangerous explosions. About 40% of pressure cooker injuries are caused by improper sealing or venting.
Blocked Vents: Sometimes, the vents of pressure cookers will become blocked, resulting in a hazardous explosion.

When a pressure cooker explodes, the scalding hot contents are thrown into the surrounding area, often directly onto the body and face of anyone nearby. This can lead to severe burn injuries, eye damage, and other trauma.

Common Injuries from Exploding Pressure Cookers

The most common injury resulting from defective pressure cookers is burns. The high-temperature liquids can cause second and third-degree burns when they come into contact with skin. Severe burns, especially those on the face, are frequently cited in product liability lawsuits involving defective pressure cookers and often lead to permanent disfigurement. Other potential injuries include:

Thermal Burns: Second and third-degree burns are common, often requiring skin grafts and extensive medical treatment.
Eye Injuries: Hot food or liquid that blows in someone’s face after their pressure cooker explodes could cause severe eye injuries.
Lacerations and Trauma: The force of an exploding pressure cooker can cause cuts, bruises, and, in rare cases, traumatic brain injuries.

Your Rights to Compensation

If you’ve been injured by an exploding pressure cooker lid, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and losses. Product liability laws hold manufacturers responsible for designing and selling safe products. If a pressure cooker is defectively designed or manufactured, the company can be held liable for any resulting injuries.

Who is Liable?

Potentially liable parties in a pressure cooker explosion case can include:

The manufacturer of the pressure cooker
The designer of the pressure cooker
The retailer who sold the pressure cooker

What Damages Can You Recover?

In a successful product liability lawsuit, you may be able to recover compensation for:

Medical Expenses: This includes past and future costs of medical treatment, such as hospital stays, surgeries, skin grafts, and rehabilitation.
Lost Wages: You can recover lost income from time off work due to your injuries, as well as any future lost earning capacity.
Pain and Suffering: You are entitled to compensation for the physical pain and emotional distress caused by your injuries.
Property Damage: If the explosion damaged your kitchen or other property, you can seek compensation for repairs or replacement.

Steps to Take After a Pressure Cooker Explosion

If you’ve been injured in a pressure cooker explosion, taking the following steps can help protect your health and your legal rights:

Seek Medical Attention: Your priority should be to seek immediate medical care for your injuries. Burns can be severe and require specialized treatment.
Preserve the Evidence: Keep the pressure cooker and all its parts. Do not attempt to clean or repair the device. This evidence will be crucial in proving your case.
Document Everything: Take photos of your injuries, the damaged pressure cooker, and the scene of the explosion. Keep records of all medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses.
Consult with a Personal Injury Lawyer: An experienced attorney can evaluate your case, advise you of your legal rights, and help you pursue compensation from the responsible parties.

Pressure Cooker Lawsuits: What to Expect

Pressure cooker explosion cases are typically pursued as product liability lawsuits. These cases can be complex and require proving that the pressure cooker was defective and that the defect caused your injuries.

Common Allegations in Pressure Cooker Lawsuits:

Design Defect: The pressure cooker was inherently dangerous due to a flaw in its design.
Manufacturing Defect: The pressure cooker was not made according to the design specifications, resulting in a dangerous product.
Failure to Warn: The manufacturer failed to provide adequate warnings about the potential dangers of using the pressure cooker.

Settlement Amounts in Pressure Cooker Cases

Pressure cooker lawsuit settlement amounts can vary widely depending on the severity of the injuries, the extent of damages, and the strength of the evidence. Settlements typically involve financial compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. While pressure cooker settlement amounts vary from case to case, they can average from $25,000 to over $2,000,000.

For second-degree burns, the average settlement amount can be between $125,000 and $200,000.
For third-degree burns, the average settlement amount can be between $600,000 and $2,000,000.

Cases involving facial burning with permanent disfigurement will be at the higher end of the settlement compensation scale.

Examples of Pressure Cooker Settlements and Verdicts:

\$6 Million Settlement: In 2020, a Pennsylvania woman reached a \$6 million settlement with a pressure cooker manufacturer after sustaining severe burn injuries. The plaintiff alleged that the pressure cooker’s lid opened unexpectedly, releasing scalding hot contents that caused second and third-degree burns.
\$2 Million Settlement: A New Jersey woman received a \$2 million settlement in 2018 after a pressure cooker exploded, leaving her with third-degree burns across her arms and chest.
\$440,000 Settlement: A client who suffered injuries when a pressure cooker exploded at her apartment in Silver Spring, Maryland, won a \$440,000 settlement. She was moving the cooker when it suddenly exploded, causing thermal burns to her face, arm, and chest.
\$27 Million Settlement: Lawyers for a 2-year-old girl who was severely burned by an exploding pressure cooker have achieved a \$27 million settlement on her behalf. She suffered severe burns over 60% of her body. Doctors were eventually forced to amputate one of her legs, a hip, and all of her fingers and was left with disfiguring scars over most of her body.

Safety Tips to Prevent Pressure Cooker Explosions

While manufacturers are responsible for creating safe products, users can also take steps to minimize the risk of pressure cooker explosions:

Read the Manual: Always read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for using your pressure cooker.
Inspect the Cooker: Before each use, check the rubber gaskets, valves, and seals to make sure they are in good working order and that there’s no food blocking them.
Don’t Overfill: Never fill your pressure cooker beyond the maximum fill line. For foods that expand (rice, beans, grains), limit filling to 1/2 capacity.
Use Enough Liquid: Always use enough liquid (minimum 1 cup) to create necessary steam.
Ensure Lid is Locked: Ensure the lid is properly locked before heating.
Don’t Force It Open: Never attempt to open the cooker while under pressure. Always verify pressure is fully released first.
Maintain the Cooker: Change the gasket every 6 months and get the Pressure cooker serviced at service centers regularly depending on the usage.

Act Now to Protect Your Rights

If you or a loved one has been injured by an exploding pressure cooker lid, it is essential to act quickly. There is a limited window of time for individuals to seek financial compensation regarding pressure cooker injuries — it is called the “statute of limitations,” and the time window for pursuing a case is different in each state. Contact a pressure cooker injury attorney today to determine if you can file a lawsuit for the injuries you have suffered. A lawyer can help you understand your rights, gather evidence, and pursue the compensation you deserve.