An Ohio woman recently filed a new Maxi-Matic pressure cooker lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. She claims that while using it, she suffered from serious injuries. She names as defendants Maxi-Matic U.S.A., Inc., and Pick Five Imports, Inc.
This lawsuit joins many others in which the plaintiffs claim they used their pressure cookers as instructed, and the devices malfunctioned unexpectedly. Though some pressure cookers have been recalled because of design or manufacturing defects, most remain on the market.
Plaintiff Claims Pressure Cooker Exploded and Severely Burned Her
According to her complaint, the plaintiff purchased her pressure cooker in November 2020. She was using it at her mother’s home in Dearborn, Michigan, on January 9, 2022, to make turkey legs, when the unexpected happened.
She was standing a few feet away from the device when she saw the pressure cooker’s lid explode off the pot. The boiling contents of the cooker burst out and landed on her face, neck, arms, shoulders, torso, and right foot. She was essentially covered in scalding hot food and liquid.
She was taken to the emergency department of Corewell Health Dearborn Hospital in Dearborn, Michigan, where she was rushed to a trauma bay. Her injuries, however, were too severe to treat, and emergency medical services had to transfer her to the Burn Center of the Detroit Receiving Hospital in Detroit, Michigan.
After her initial treatments, she was directed to seek follow-up treatments, which she did at the Ohio State Burn Care in McCampbell Outpatient Care in Columbus, Ohio, on January 14, 2022, January 19, 2022, January 26, 2022, and February 18, 2022.
As a result of the pressure cooker explosion, she suffered second and third-degree burns, resulting in “horrendous” pain and suffering. She has permanent physical scars and disfigurement in addition to significant emotional scars, from which—according to the complaint—“she will never fully recover.”
Plaintiff Claims Maxi-Matic Pressure Cookers Unreasonably Dangerous
The plaintiff notes in her complaint that in the cooker’s owner’s manual, Maxi-Matic touts the “advanced technology” of its pressure cookers, stating they have a safety feature in which the “lid will not open unless all pressure is released…”
The plaintiff’s experience contradicts this statement. She states the devices are unreasonably dangerous because the lid can come off while the unit is still under pressure. She adds that the defendants knew or should have known that their pressure cookers were defective and posed a safety risk to consumers.
Some Pressure Cookers Recalled for Potential Burn Hazards
Some recent pressure cooker recalls have drawn more attention to the potential dangers associated with these devices.
In August 2023, for instance, Sensio recalled 860,000 Bella, Bella Pro Series, Cooks, and Crux pressure cookers due to defects in the lids, which could unlock and detach during use, posing a burn hazard to consumers.
In October 2023, Best Buy recalled 930,000 Insignia Multi-Function Pressure Cookers because the inner pot had incorrect volume markings. This could cause consumers to overfill the pot, and hot food and liquids could be ejected when the pressure was vented using the quick-release method or opened while its contents were pressurized—again, posing a burn hazard.
There has been no recall on the Maxi-Matic pressure cooker mentioned in this lawsuit.
Exclusively focused on representing plaintiffs, especially in mass tort litigation, Eric Chaffin prides himself on providing unsurpassed professional legal services in pursuit of the specific goals of his clients and their families. Both his work and his cases have been featured in the national press, including on ABC’s Good Morning America.
