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I Was Burned by My Pressure Cooker: Handling Small Appliance Defects

There’s nothing cooking aficionados love more than new kitchen gadgets – the latest and greatest air fryer, multi-pot, or even a new blender. It’s a great feeling when the new gadgets make your life easier and make cooking even more fun. Most kitchen appliances are thoughtfully designed and thoroughly tested before they go on sale for home cooks. However, there are instances of appliances malfunctioning so severely that they can cause injuries or even death. Some examples of this are pressure cookers exploding, releasing their scalding hot contents, or blenders exploding, spraying shrapnel in all directions. If you or a loved one have had the misfortune of experiencing a severe small appliance defect, what recourse do you have?

According to Florida’s laws, you have up to four years to file a claim for damages for product defect injuries and up to two years to file a claim for a wrongful death caused by a product injury. You will need to prove that you were using the product for it’s intended purpose and that you did not modify it prior to the malfunction. For example, using a food processor with all its original parts to cut carrots would be an allowable claim, in contrast, modifying a food processor with a blade from a different device and using it to cut a non-food item would not be a valid claim.

Additionally, you will need to prove that the defect fell into one of three categories: design, manufacturing, or marketing. A design defect is something that is inherently wrong with how the product was engineered. For example, if a food processor does not have an automatic shut-off mechanism when the lid comes off, that is a design defect. A manufacturing defect is when a product has a solid design, but something went awry in the manufacturing process. For example, if a toaster manufacturer switched to a lower cost supplier for wiring, and the new wiring caused a fire, that is a manufacturing defect. Finally, a marketing defect is when the manufacturer fails to provide adequate safety warnings about the product. An example would be a manufacturer omitting a warning for a mini pizza oven that the outside of the device heats up and can cause burns.

The amount of damages that you receive will be based on the severity of your injuries. Damages can include costs for medical bills, lost wages, cost to repair any property damage that occurred, as well as like pain and suffering. ECanter Lawyers are experienced in winning product defect claims. We will attempt to settle the case out of court, but if the manufacturer will not provide the settlement funds that you deserve, we will litigate the case through a court trial if necessary. If you have been severely injured by an appliance defect, contact ECanter Lawyers for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

ECanter Lawyers

When you are dealing with the chaos and pain of accidents and personal injuries, the last thing you need is technical, confusing legal language.  ECanter Lawyers breaks down the complexities and provides clear, informative answers so that you understand your legal options. 

For over two decades, ECanter Lawyers has remained committed to honest, straightforward answers.  Named one of AVVO’s Clients’ Choice, ECanter Lawyers has helped clients receive multi-million-dollar verdicts, and millions of dollars in settlements.  ECanter Lawyers specialize in personal injury, motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, premises and product liability, and healthcare law.

With offices conveniently located throughout South Florida and 24/7 services, ECanter Lawyers personal injury law firm offers you the personalized attention that you need in order to maximize your compensation. 

ECanter Lawyers

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