Ninja Food Processor Lawsuit Alleges Loose Blade Assembly Caused Severe Laceration Injuries

Lawsuit claims loosely fitted blades may detach from the drive gear, causing the assembly to fall from the pitcher and creating a serious laceration risk.

A Pennsylvania woman has filed a product liability lawsuit alleging she suffered severe laceration injuries when the blade assembly of a Ninja QB1000-series food processor detached from its base during normal use.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Pauline Morgalo in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on September 18, naming SharkNinja Operating LLC as the sole defendant.

Morgalo claims SharkNinja knew for years that its blender designs could cause serious injuries, pointing to a separate recall of the BL660-series after dozens of laceration reports involving loose stacked blade assemblies.

Kitchen Appliance Injuries

SharkNinja has faced a number of product liability claims in recent years involving food processors, blenders and pressure cookers, with consumers alleging defects caused severe cuts, burns and other injuries.

Some claims have focused on Ninja blender blade assemblies that may detach during use or cleaning. Earlier this year, a Texas woman filed a lawsuit alleging a Ninja blender blade detached while the appliance was running, causing severe laceration injuries.

Other Ninja blender lawsuits allege that extended blending can increase heat and pressure inside sealed cups, causing the containers to suddenly open or come apart and send hot liquids, plastic fragments or metal pieces toward consumers.

Similar allegations have been raised in pressure cooker lawsuits involving Ninja Foodi, Instant Pot and Crock-Pot models. Those claims allege that lid-locking systems may fail to prevent the appliances from opening while still pressurized, allowing scalding contents to erupt and cause severe burn injuries.

Ninja Food Processor Laceration Allegations

According to the complaint, Ninja QB1000-series food processors consist of three primary components: a motor base containing a high-speed motor and gear shaft, a pitcher that locks onto the base and a removable blade assembly containing six sharp blades.

To assemble the appliance, users lock the pitcher onto the motor base, place the blade assembly over the gear shaft, add the ingredients and secure the lid. However, Morgalo claims that, unlike the pitcher and lid, the blade assembly does not lock into position or otherwise attach securely to the gear shaft.

Instead, the blades allegedly sit loosely on the drive gear, creating a risk that the assembly may fall from the pitcher if the lid is removed or comes off while a user is pouring its contents.

The filing indicates Morgalo was using the Ninja food processor on September 25, 2024, for its intended purpose when the blade assembly allegedly detached from its base, causing serious laceration injuries, which resulted in medical expenses, physical pain, mental anguish, lost wages and diminished enjoyment of life.

Morgalo claims SharkNinja could have used safer alternative designs, including securing the blade assembly to the gear shaft or incorporating a mechanism that locks the blades into position.

Furthermore, Morgalo maintains SharkNinja knew about risks associated with unsecured stacked blades like those in the QB1000-series food processor for years, pointing specifically to a November 2015 recall involving about 1.1 million Ninja BL660-series blenders.

In that case, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) indicated the products posed a laceration hazard if consumers poured or inverted the pitcher after removing the lid while the loose stacked blade remained inside. At the time, SharkNinja had received 53 reports of laceration injuries.

“However, the aforementioned Ninja food processor was defectively designed and manufactured by Defendant in that its loose, unsecured blade assembly is able to fall out of the pitcher during the normal, intended use of the Ninja food processor, putting consumers, such as Plaintiff, at risk of lacerations and other physical injuries.”

— Pauline Morgalo v. SharkNinja Operating LLC

The lawsuit raises allegations of strict product liability, negligence and breach of the implied warranty of merchantability. It seeks compensatory and punitive damages, as well as costs, interest and other relief.

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