Ninja Foodi Lawsuit Filed by Woman Who Suffered 2nd and 3rd Degree Burns from Defective Pressure Cooker

A Texas woman says she suffered severe burns when her Ninja Foodi pressure cooker exploded as the lid was removed, since the device lacked sufficient safety features and failed to provide critical warnings indicating that the contents were still under pressure.

The complaint (PDF) was filed by Ashley Jackson in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on September 19, joining a number of similar product liability claims currently being pursued against SharkNinja Operating, LLC, each involving similar allegations that the company sold Ninja Foodi pressure cookers that are defective and unreasonably dangerous.

Modern electronic pressure cookers like the Ninja Foodi have become popular in recent decades, due to marketing that highlights advanced features meant to prevent pressure cooker explosions, which were common with older, stove-top models. However, a growing number of consumers like Jackson are now pursuing pressure cooker lawsuits against SharkNinja and other manufacturers, indicating that these safety features can fail, allowing the lid to be removed while the pot is still under intense pressure.

According to her lawsuit, Jackson was using her Ninja Foodi to prepare gumbo in January 2023 when the incident occurred. She had the device set to “Sear,” which she indicates was a non-pressurized setting. However, she discovered the contents were actually pressurized when she went to add more ingredients.

“As Plaintiff opened the lid, she did not encounter any unexpected resistance. However, as she removed the lid from the pot, she was immediately struck by boiling hot cooking liquid that spewed out from the pressurized Ninja Foodi,” the lawsuit states. “The liquid was at an extremely hot temperature and struck mostly on Ashley’s torso and forearm. As a result of this incident, she went to the hospital for treatment of 2nd and 3rd degree burns to her torso and left forearm.”

Jackson indicates she had used the pressure cooker similarly in the past with no problems, arguing that the Ninja Foodi was defectively designed due to a lack of sufficient safety features, which makes the device unsafe for reasonable and foreseeable consumer users.

She presents claims of strict liability, negligence and gross negligence, and seeks compensatory and punitive damages.

Pressure Cooker Explosion Lawsuits

Stories like Jackson’s have been repeated numerous times over the past few years, both to federal regulators and to state and federal courts. Additionally, as more of these electric pressure cookers have been introduced in recent years, the CPSC has issued several recalls over problems with pressure cooker explosions, 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.

Last year, a Best Buy Insignia pressure cooker recall was announced for nearly one million devices, and a Sensio pressure cooker recall pulled about 900,000 devices off store shelves. Both were caused by pressure cooker explosions linked to failures of the lid safety designs.

Given design problems linked to pressure cookers sold by various manufacturers, including Ninja Foodi, Instant Pot, Crock Pot and others, financial compensation may be available to those who have suffered injuries due to pressure cooker explosions. Pressure cooker injury lawyers provide free consultations to help determine whether individuals nationwide are eligible to pursue a lawsuit.