Instant Pot Explosion Lawsuits on The Rise

It appears that Instant Pots may actually be exploding according to recent Instant Pot explosion lawsuits filed by the nationwide law firm Johnson // Becker.  We reached out to the attorney filing these lawsuits to learn more about the litigation.  If your Instant Pot exploded, read on to learn more.

We recently reviewed the Complaint filed in the aforementioned Instant Pot lawsuit to see what the allegations were. Honestly, we were quite shocked to find that these kitchen appliances could be a ticking time bomb for many unsuspecting home chefs.

“It is our hope that by holding manufacturers responsible for their defectively designed pressure cookers that are severely hurting innocent people we can force those manufacturers to make a safer product or we can get them taken off of the market.”

Michael K. Johnson (pressure cooker attorney), Johnson // Becker, PLLC

Have you or a loved one been injured by an exploding Instant Pot? If so, you may be entitled to financial compensation by filing a lawsuit. For a free, no-obligation review of your potential case and to contact attorney Michael K. Johnson at Johnson // Becker, PLLC, please start your Instant Case Review (below), visit his website, or call him by dialing (800) 279-6386.

What is claimed in the Instant Pot Lawsuits?

First off, the lawsuits are filed against the following defendants: Instant Brands, Inc. and Double Brands, Inc. dba Instant Pot Company (a Canadian corporation).

For the most part, it appears that Instant Pots are exploding and spewing their scalding hot contents across kitchens. The explosions are doing what we would expect, burning the people who are using them and/or their family members standing nearby. We wonder if any pets like dogs or cats have also been burned.

Here is a quick overview of the nature of the case and lawsuits against Instant Pot.

1. The defendants design, manufacture, market, import, distribute and sell a wide range of consumer kitchen products, including the Instant Pot.
2. Defendants tout the “safety” of their pressure cookers, and states that they cannot be opened while in use. Despite Defendants’ claims of “safety,” they designed a product that suffers from serious and dangerous defects. Said defects cause significant risk of bodily harm and injury to its consumers.
3. Specifically, the Instant Pot defects manifest themselves when, despite Defendants’ statements, the lid of the pressure cooker is removable with built-up pressure, heat and steam still inside the unit. When the lid is removed under such circumstances, the pressure trapped within the unit causes the scalding hot contents to be projected from the unit and into the surrounding area, including onto the unsuspecting consumers, their families, and other bystanders.
4. Defendants knew or should have known of these defects, but has nevertheless put profit ahead of safety by continuing to sell its Instant Pot pressure cookers to consumers, failing to warn said consumers of the serious risks posed by the defects, and failing to recall the dangerously defective pressure cookers regardless of the risk of significant injuries to the Plaintiffs in these Instant Pot lawsuits.
5. Defendants ignored and/or concealed their knowledge of these defects in its pressure cookers from the Plaintiff in this case, as well as the public in general, in order to continue generating a profit from the sale of said pressure cookers, demonstrating a callous, reckless, willful, depraved indifference to the health, safety, and welfare of Plaintiffs in these lawsuits.
6. As a direct and proximate result of Defendants’ collective conduct, the Plaintiffs in Instant pot lawsuits will generally incur significant and painful bodily injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, physical pain, mental anguish, and diminished enjoyment of life.

Man Sues Instant Pot When His Pressure Cooker Exploded

In Case 5:19-cv-00113-LGW-BWC, the Plaintiff claims he suffered serious and substantial burn injuries as the direct and proximate result of the pressure cooker’s lid being able to be rotated and opened while the pressure cooker was still under pressure, during the normal, directed use of the Pressure Cooker, allowing its scalding hot contents to be forcefully ejected from the pressure cooker and onto Plaintiff.

The incident occurred as a result of the failure of the pressure cooker’s supposed “safety feature[s],” which purport to keep the consumer safe while using the pressure cooker. In addition, the incident occurred as the result of Defendants’ failure to redesign the pressure cooker, despite the existence of economical, safer alternative designs

The lawsuit goes on to state that the Plaintiff in the case against Instant Pot used his pressure cooker for its intended purpose of preparing meals for himself and/or family and did so in a manner that was reasonable and foreseeable by the Defendants. However, the Instant Pot pressure cooker was defectively and negligently designed and manufactured by the Defendants in that it failed to properly function as to prevent the lid from being removed with normal force while the unit remained pressurized, despite the appearance that all the pressure had been released, during the ordinary, foreseeable and proper use of cooking food with the product; placing the Plaintiff, his family, and similar consumers in danger while using the pressure cookers.

Little Girl and Family Sue Instant Pot

In another case, a Colorado family has filed a lawsuit against Instant Pot after the pressure cooker exploded causing serious third-degree burn injuries to their daughter.

The story of this family sounds like a typical evening scenario in our kitchen … Mom or Dad is cooking and the kids want to help. Unfortunately for Mary Cooper and her daughter, this seemingly normal event turned into a horrific tragedy.

According to a news report, Mary Cooper said she was a big fan of the Instant Pot, a brand of an electric pressure cooker when she ordered it online.

“I thought Instant Pot was the greatest invention. I thought it was going to help my soup cook faster. I thought that was fantastic. Anything that makes dinner faster and easier is great for a young mom,” Cooper said.

After having used the Instant Pot several times, Cooper decided to make soup for a friend who had lost their mother. Her daughter Caroline, enthusiastic about cooking, was helping her.

“I had made the exact same soup before, cooking with the kids. Everybody is by the island around and Caroline wanted to come help me. The soup is done. It beeps it’s ‘done.’ We manually vent it and steam comes out telling you that it is un-pressurizing,” Cooper said.

“The valve float drops, and we go to open it and put the kale in. We were just going to add kale. And it exploded. Completely exploded.”

Caroline, then nine years old, was covered in scalding soup, her face burned by a burst of steam.

Woman in Delaware Files Instant Pot Explosion Lawsuit

According to the Daily Hornet, Lori bought a brand-new Instant Pot in December 2016. Nine months later, she suffered serious burn injuries when it exploded. The problem, according to the lawsuit, is that the pressure cooker’s lid is able to be rotated and opened while the pot still contains a dangerous amount of built-up pressure, heat, and steam.

When Lori opened her Instant Pot, its scalding-hot contents were forcefully ejected out of the pressure cooker and onto her body. She suffered 2nd-degree burns on her abdomen.

She blames the incident on the failure of the Instant Pot’s “safety mechanisms,” which are advertised to lock the lid when it still contains a dangerous amount of pressure.

What to do if you have been the victim of an Instant Pot Explosion

We reached out to attorney Michael Johnson (the lawyer that is filing Instant Pot Lawsuits throughout the United States). He told us that in the last four years, his law firm has represented over 300 people in 40 states who have been injured in pressure cooker explosions. He was quick to point out that the Instant Pot is not the only pressure cooker exploding and causing burn injuries.

Preserving The Evidence

Remember, attorneys handling Instant Pot lawsuits suggest that you should call an attorney before contacting the manufacturer if you have been injured by an exploding pressure cooker. In addition, under no circumstances should you ever throw it away or return it to the manufacturer.

Free Instant Pot Lawsuit Review

Have you or a loved one been injured by an exploding Instant Pot? If so, you may be entitled to financial compensation by filing a lawsuit. For a free, no-obligation review of your potential case and to contact attorney Michael K. Johnson at Johnson // Becker, PLLC, please start your Instant Case Review (below), visit his law firm website, or call him by dialing (800) 279-6386.