CrockPot Pressure Cooker Recall Lawsuit Attorney

What is a Crock Pot Pressure Cooker?

Sunbeam Products Inc., part of the Newell Brands conglomerate, manufactures the Crock-Pot Express Pressure Cooker. Crock Pot Quart Express Crock Multi-Cookers plug into the wall and cook food with a heating element built into the pot, unlike traditional stovetop pressure cookers.

The Crockpot Pressure Cookers are advertised as having “safety features,” such as a locking lid that is not supposed to open until all of the pressure in the pot is released. This lid and other safety mechanisms are supposed to prevent dangerous explosions of scalding hot contents that frightened many consumers away from buying non-electric stovetop pressure cookers.

Crock Pot Recall Prompts Lawsuits

As claimed by the CPSC, Sunbeam Products in Nov. 2020 issued a nationwide recall for about 943,000 Crock-Pot Electric Pressure Cookers after reports of at least 99 burn injuries ranging from 1st-degree to 3rd-degree burns [1].

There were 119 reports of pressure cooker explosions due to design defects, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:

The recalled Crock-Pot multi-cooker can pressurize when the lid is not fully locked. This can cause the lid to suddenly detach while the product is in use, posing burn risks, severe thermal burns and substantial burn injuries to consumers from hot food and liquids ejected from the product. CPSC said.

The Crock-Pot recall includes instant brands Crock-Pot® 6-Quart Express Crock Multi-Cookers (Model Number SCCPPC600-V1), which are printed on a label on the bottom of the pressure cooker.

These popular brands of instant pot pressure cookers were sold with defective safety features from July 2017 through November 2020 at Walmart, Target, other stores, online at Amazon, and other online retailers for $70-$100.

Related Article: Pressure Cooker Lawsuit Update

Crock Pot Injuries

• Serious burns
• Hot steam burns
• Second-degree burns
• Third-degree burns
• Eye injuries and blindness
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Scalds
• Permanent scarring
• Disfigurement
• Emergency medical treatment
• Kitchen and/or property damage

OSHA Pressure Cooker Injury Statistics

According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) [2].

General Pressure Cooker Statistics:

According to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, the majority of pressure cooker users are over the age of 30, with 46% of injured parties between the ages of 30 and 50, and 10% between 51 and 70. In 2008, of 39 sampled cases of pressure cooker-associated emergency room visits, 17 involved injuries where the pressure cooker either exploded or liquids burst from the pot, causing burns. The remaining 22 involved contact burns or steam burns.

There have been several recalls of pressure cookers in recent years due to safety concerns, including:

• FagorSplendid Chef: Over 400,000 were recalled from 2007-2015, with more than 70 burn injuries reported.
• Tristar Pressure Cooker: Recall of 145,000 units in 2012 due to lid detachments caused by excess pressure buildup, resulting in 29 reports of injuries.
• Power Pressure Cooker XL: Recall nearly 1 million cookers in 2018 due to explosion and malfunction complaints.
• Instant Pot Gem 65: Some batches were recalled in 2018 for potential fire risk from overheating.
• Crock-Pot Express Crock: 2019 recall of 119,000 units following 99 incidents of the lid detaching violently.

Sunbeam Class Action Alleges Crock Pot Pressure Cooker Explosion

According to the lawsuit, Sunbeam Products has been hit with a class action by consumers who claim that their pressure cooker exploded because of a design defect [3].

Lead plaintiff Kimberly Rife claims that in January 2018, she was given the Sunbeam Pressure Cooker as a gift and used it to prepare chicken and rice soup for her family.

Rife alleges that she read the instructions and, despite following them and using the safety features, suffered severe burns and other burn injuries from the instant pot.

Plaintiff states that after the process of cooking was complete, she released pressure from the steam release valve and pressed the stop button on the lid when the steam stopped.

“When she twisted open the lid, the pot exploded with the liquid inside, spraying her hand, wrist, and stomach, and her surrounding kitchen area,” the Crock-Pot class action lawsuit states.

The plaintiff claims that she suffered injuries including first- and second-degree burns on her hand, wrist, and stomach. She says she still has scarring from the incident with the Crock-Pot lid.

The Crock-Pot class action lawsuit alleges that the Pressure Cooker generates extreme heat and steam during routine operation, but the defect occurs when the pressure build-up inside the product causes the hot contents to “burst and erupt” from the product when the lid is opened up by the consumer.

The plaintiff further states that the Pressure Cooker at issue includes “all Crock-Pot Express Pressure Cooker models sold by Sunbeam, including without limitation, Model Number SCCPPC600-V1.”

The Crock-Pot class action lawsuit states that the defendant should have known about the defect and did not warn consumers of the safety risk that was created by the defect, and further, did not recall the “dangerously defective” Pressure Cooker despite the risk of injury to consumers.

The Crock-Pot class action lawsuit also mentions similar experiences that consumers have had with the Pressure Cooker. For example, one customer reportedly said that his product’s top “blew off send[ing] scolding water everywhere and leaving [him] with second-degree burns on [his] shoulder and neck. The lawsuit stated.

Other consumers have reported injuries and property damage after using the Pressure Cooker, the plaintiffs allege. Comments were even posted on the defendant’s website.

The plaintiffs claim that Sunbeam did not adequately design or manufacture the Pressure Cooker to make sure that it did not have a defect before they put the product up for sale. In addition, the class action lawsuit states that the defect is a “serious and immediate safety risk” to the public.

Also, the plaintiffs note that even though the defendant knew, or should have known, about the defect, the company chose to conceal that the defect existed and should have removed the item from the marketplace.

“As a result of Defendant’s concealment of the Defect, many Class members remain unaware of the existence of the Defect, and that it poses an unreasonable risk of personal injury and/or property damage during normal use,” the Crock-Pot class action lawsuit states.

The Crock-Pot Pressure Cooker Design Defect Class Action Lawsuit is Kimberly Rife, et al. v. Sunbeam Products Inc., Case No. 9:20-cv-80021, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

FAQs

What are the initial steps an attorney will take in a Crock-Pot pressure cooker lawsuit?

An attorney will typically start by reviewing your case details, gathering evidence, consulting with experts, and assessing the validity of your claim. They will then file the necessary legal documents and begin the negotiation or litigation process to seek compensation.

What are the common causes of pressure cooker accidents?

Common causes include manufacturing defects, design flaws, failure to adhere to safety standards, and user error due to inadequate instructions or warnings. These factors can lead to pressure buildup, faulty seals, and sudden explosions.

How do settlements work in Crock-Pot pressure cooker lawsuits?

Settlements involve negotiations between your attorney and the defendant’s representatives. If an agreement is reached, you receive compensation without going to trial. Settlements can cover medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages, providing a quicker resolution than a court trial.

Related Articles:

• CopperTech PressurePro Suit
• Cook’s Essentials Litigation
• Crux Pressure Cooker Lawsuit

See all related product liability lawsuits our attorneys covered so far.

Get a Free Crock Pot Pressure Cooker Recall Lawsuit Evaluation With Our Lawyers

The Product Liability Litigation Group at Schmidt & Clark, LLP law firm is an experienced team of jury trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Crock Pot Pressure Cooker Lawsuits.

We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently representing consumers in pressure cooker explosion cases in all 50 states.

Free Confidential Crock Pot Pressure Cooker Recall Lawsuit Evaluation: Again, if you or a loved one suffered serious burns or other serious injuries caused by a defective pressure cooker, you should contact our law firm immediately for a free review of your legal rights and potential case. You may be entitled to a pressure cooker settlement and a lawyer can help.

References:

1. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/Crock-Pot-6-Quart-Express-Crock-Multi-Cookers-Recalled-by-Sunbeam-Products-Due-to-Burn-Hazard
2. https://www.osha.gov/ords/imis/AccidentSearch.search?acc_keyword=%22Cooker–Pressure%22&keyword_list=on
3. https://www.schmidtandclark.com/wp-content/uploads/Power-Pressure-Cooker-Lawsuit-Zolen-Complaint.pdf