Walmart Faces Lawsuit Over Faberware Pressure Cooker Explosion

Two people from Ohio have filed a product liability lawsuit against Walmart, alleging they sustained severe burn injuries when the lid of a Farberware pressure cooker exploded off unexpectedly, showering them with the scalding hot contents that were still pressurized inside the device.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Skyy Williams and Jaylon Reed last week in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, presenting claims against Farberware Licensing Company, LLC and Walmart, Inc., as defendants.

The case raises allegations similar to those presented in a growing number of pressure cooker explosion lawsuits filed in recent months, each pointing to design problems with many modern electronic pressure cookers, including Ninja Foodi, Instant Pot, Crock Pot and others, which lack safety features that effectively prevent the lid from being removed while the contents are still under intense pressure.

According to the lawsuit, Williams was using a Farberware 7-in-1 programmable pressure cooker on January 16, 2022, when the incident occurred. After cooking was completed, she hit the pressure release button, but no steam was released. The lawsuit indicates Williams let the pressure cooker sit for about 45 minutes before trying again.

“When Plaintiff Williams returned to the dining room to check the pressure cooker, Plaintiff Williams again pressed the release button and the pressure cooker’s lid unexpectedly and suddenly blew off the pot in an explosive manner,” the lawsuit states. “The contents of the pressure cooker were forcibly ejected out of the pot and onto Plaintiffs, causing severe and debilitating burns to their bodies.”

As a result, Williams suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns across her arms, chest, breasts, stomach, neck and shoulders, the lawsuit indicates. Reed suffered 1st degree and 2nd degree burns on his left arm.

Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawsuits

Modern electronic pressure cookers have become increasingly popular in recent decades, amid marketing that has promoted advanced safety features that were supposed to prevent pressure cooker explosions that have plagued older, stove-top designs. Products have been marketed under a number of brand names, through social media, websites and home shopping stations.

Most of the problems involve similar pressure cooker burn injuries which occurred after the lid exploded off while the contents were still pressurized, typically resulting in burns covering a large percentage of the user’s body. However, other injuries linked to pressure cookers have included eye injuries, broken bones and other complications that resulted from electrocutions, spills or explosions, like in Smith’s case.

As more of these electric pressure cookers have been introduced in recent years, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued several pressure cooker recalls over problems where lids were able to be opened while contents are under pressure, allowing hot contents to be expelled and causing a scald or burn injury to individuals in the immediate area.