In March 2022, The Daily Mirror reported that Guillermo Rigondeaux, former boxer champion, suffered severe facial injuries due to a pressure cooker explosion. He was cooking a meal at his home in Miami when the pot exploded, and he lost 80% of his vision.
Alex Bornote, Guillermo’s manager, said that his eyes and face were in a terrible state after the explosion. The Cuban fighter is still recovering from the injury and hasn’t specified whether his eyesight has recovered.
During the pandemic, almost 1 million Crock Pot pressure cookers were recalled in the United States. The reason for this was the risk of cookers exploding and releasing boiling hot contents onto people. It happened because the pressure would continue to build up even if the lid was not fully locked. At least 99 consumers reported getting injured, which led to the recall.
An increasing number of fatal pressure cooker accidents have been associated with new designs. The explosions occurred when the lid blew off. Such design defects lead to serious injuries and burns.
In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at the growing trend of pressure cooker-related injuries and ways to deal with them.
Types of Pressure Cooker Accidents and Injuries
People get injured in pressure cooker explosions due to the following reasons:
Eruptions and Explosions
The pressure cooker contents are placed under pressure during cooking. When the cooking compartments get depressurized suddenly, they can explode or erupt the contents, potentially burning and injuring anyone near them.
Electrocution
When it comes to a new-age electric pressure cooker, anytime someone turns it on, there is a risk of short-circuit. It can result in electrocution. Electricity leads to second and third-degree burns and severe cardiac consequences for some people.
If the burns aren’t treated immediately, infections can set in and result in other medical complications. Based on the severity of the burn, skin grafting and various other medical processes might be necessary.
Other injuries include broken bones, lacerations, traumatic brain injuries, hearing loss, scarring, and sometimes death.
Other Reasons
TorHoerman Law states that the common causes of pressure cooker accidents are leaky gaskets, incorrect ventilation, wrong wiring, faulty valves, and digital indication malfunction.
Walking The Legal Path
On January 3rd, 2023, a new pressure cooker lawsuit was filed against Instant Brands for their Duo Nova 80 pressure cooker. An Indiana plaintiff accused the brand of grave injuries because the pressure cooker’s lid opened and rotated when it was under pressure. It ejected the scalding hot contents on the plaintiff.
In February 2023, several pressure cooker lawsuits were filed against Sunbeam in Florida that were consolidated in Circuit Court in Palm Beach County. A few other brands that faced lawsuits for pressure cooker injuries include Bella, Elie Bistro, Breville, and Cuisinart.
When a pressure cooker explodes and injures a person, the manufacturers can be held accountable for the damage. Design defects occur when the product gets manufactured incorrectly. Marketing defects take place when the manufacturer doesn’t offer sufficient instruction or warning for product use.
Individuals interested in receiving financial compensation or a refund for their pressure cooker expense can opt-in for a class action lawsuit that ensures equal distribution of the settlement money amongst the claimants.
However, people who intend to get compensated for the losses associated with the explosion must file an individual defective pressure cooker lawsuit claim.
To win a product liability case, an injured party should prove that the pressure cooker was defective, which led to the injury. It’s a complex process and requires the expertise of a personal injury attorney.
Estimating the Financial Compensation
The losses endured in a pressure cooker explosion aren’t confined to physical wounds. They can lead to ample damage to your house. Hence, you have the right to request compensation depending on your entire loss.
The estimated compensation list can include:
- Medical bills for accident care
- Property damage
- Pain medications, physical therapy, and mobility aids
- Property replacement and repair
- Loss of scope for wages and work
- Short and long-term disability payments
- Funeral costs and wrongful death, if applicable
The damages for pressure cooker accidents will vary. The average compensation for second-degree burns can be approximately between $125,000 and $200,000. The payout for third-degree burns can vary between $600,000 to $2,000,000. Any accidents that result in facial burning leading to permanent disfigurement will have a higher settlement value.
Conclusion
Customers should check the design of a pressure cooker before investing in it to prevent explosions. For instance, they must keep an eye on the rubber gasket and ensure that it isn’t worn out and there are no cracks around it.
Despite preventive measures, an explosion can happen because of an inherent manufacturing flaw. It is essential to seek legal aid and get compensated for the loss with the assistance of an expert lawyer.