Elite Pressure Cooker Home Shopping Network Safety Claims
The Elite line of pressure cookers ranks as one of the best-selling kitchen appliances in the history of the Home Shopping Network, according to a 2019 sales event on the long-running channel.
That segment highlighted the Elite Bistro pressure cooker’s ease of use, cooking speed, and versatility. The demonstrator also made the occasional mention of product safety, at one point saying:
“This is all the safety features built in. Listen, the lid beeps when it’s closed. And if it’s not closed, it won’t come to pressure, you won’t even have to worry about it. And then once the lid is under pressure, you can’t get it off. So, it’s not like you’re worried about the lid coming off, right? Because it literally locks into place once it’s under pressure.”
Elite Pressure Cooker Litigation Guide
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Elite Bistro Pressure Cooker Lawsuit
Home Shopping Network hosts and guests make the Elite pressure cooker look easy. And so it seemed for one Louisiana woman, who tried to use her Elite Bistro pressure cooker to prepare a pot roast one day in June 2016.
After combining her ingredients and choosing a setting, the woman secured the device’s lid. At least, she thought she did. Some 20 minutes later, the woman heard a strange noise and went to unplug her Elite Bistro pressure cooker. As she did, the lid came exploding off, showering its unsuspecting victim with the scalding hot contents inside, according to a subsequent lawsuit.
The woman was rushed to the emergency room, where doctors diagnosed second- and third-degree burns to much of her upper body. She endured extreme short-term pain, as well as difficulty sleeping or walking without discomfort that lasted for months. The burn injuries she suffered left permanent scarring and required painful ongoing treatment for years to come.
Massive Jury Award for Burn Injury
Through her attorneys in a lawsuit against Maxi-Matic, manufacturer of both the Elite Bistro and Elite Platinum pressure cooker products, the woman alleged her pressure cooker had come with numerous design defects. These included that the contents could pressurize without the lid being firmly locked in place, and that defects to the locking mechanism meant the lid could open when the cooker’s contents are still pressurized.
In 2018, about two years after the injuries had occurred, a jury in California found Maxi-Matic liable for the pressure cooker explosion and the resulting pain, suffering, disfigurement, and anxiety. For these and other damages, the jury awarded the woman nearly $5 million.
Our law firm has extensive experience representing injured burn victims against manufacturers of defective pressure cookers like the Elite Bistro and Elite Platinum pressure cookers. In the last four years, our lawyers have represented over 700 people in more than 40 states who have been severely burned by exploding pressure cookers.
To contact us for a Free Case Evaluation, please visit our contact form or dial (800) 279-6386.
Johnson//Becker Maxi-Matic Explosion Lawsuits
The woman’s victory in court is noteworthy, but her story is hardly unique. Johnson//Becker has represented numerous clients whose defective Maxi-Matic Elite pressure cooker caused injuries similar to those suffered by that unfortunate Louisiana home chef.
By continuing to sell Elite pressure cookers that could open with their contents under pressure, as well as failing to adequately warn consumers or recall their defective products, Maxi-Matic “put profit ahead of safety,” as alleged in one recent complaint.
“Defendants’ pressure cookers possess defects that make them unreasonably dangerous for their intended use by consumers,” the complaint filed by Johnson//Becker alleges. Maxi-Matic “knew or should have known that its pressure cookers possessed defects that pose a serious safety risk,” and yet it “continues to ignore and/or conceal its knowledge of the pressure cookers’ defects from the general public and continues to generate a substantial profit from the sale of its pressure cookers.”
Maxi-Matic’s bottom line should not come at the expense of injured customers. Our law firm has represented numerous customers seeking compensation for their injuries including medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, scarring and other negative impacts related to the incident caused by their exploding Elite Bistro or Elite Platinum pressure cookers.
Elite Bistro and Elite Platinum Pressure Cooker Burn Injuries
Incidents caused by defective Elite devices have resulted in trips to the emergency room, doctor’s offices and a long road to recovery. Victims of faulty Maxi-Matic pressure cookers have endured extreme pain, both in the moment of explosion and long after the incident, and have lost time at work, socializing, and with their families.
Potential damages that can be caused by an exploding pressure cooker include:
- First-, Second-, and Third-Degree Burns
- Doctor Visits and/or Hospitalization
- Infection
- Skin Grafts
- Lost Time from Work
- Permanent Scarring and/or Disfigurement
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Damage inflicted by Elite pressure cookers is not just superficial or financial. One man needed his girlfriend’s help to do almost anything for weeks, straining their relationship. One woman’s injuries caused her to stop caring for her appearance, and she barely left the house for an extended period.
Maxi-Matic Elite Pressure Cooker Lawsuits Filed by Johnson//Becker
Though each Elite Bistro and Elite Platinum pressure cooker case has its own facts and details, our law firm has repeatedly found what we are alleging are the same flaws in design and manufacturing leading to customer injuries.
Below is a list of just some of the more recent lawsuits our lawyers have filed against Maxi-Matic, Elite’s manufacturer. Please feel free to review the complaints to learn more.
- A May 2022 lawsuit filed on behalf of a New York woman.
- A 2021 lawsuit Johnson//Becker filed on behalf of a New Mexico woman.
- An Oklahoma woman burned by her Elite Pressure Cooker in December 2017, nearly two years after she bought it.
Will my Elite Pressure Cooker Lawsuit be Handled Individually or as Part of a Class Action Lawsuit?
Johnson//Becker will handle and file your case individually, giving your case the individual care and attention you deserve. Our lawyers feel strongly that it is not in our clients’ best interest to file or join a class action lawsuit for two reasons. First, class actions are designed to address damages that are usually economic in nature, not personal injuries, the severity and effect of which will vary from person to person. In other words, what is a fair resolution in one case may not be a fair resolution in another case. In addition, in a class action, the control and decision-making process is consolidated with one “Class Representative”, who oversees making decisions for everyone in the class. If that Class Representative is not you, someone you have never met and who has no incentive to put your best interests first will get to make the decisions that will affect your case.
Finally, we feel strongly that it is in our client’s best interest to file an individual lawsuit, as class action lawsuits in product liability personal injury cases typically result in far lower settlements. At Johnson//Becker, PLLC our goal is to maximize compensation for our clients, and for this reason we only file individual lawsuits.
Questions about an Elite Bistro or Elite Platinum Pressure Cooker Lawsuit? Contact our lawyers for a free case review.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective Elite Bistro or Elite Platinum pressure cooker, you may want to speak with the lawyers at Johnson//Becker. We are actively filing new Elite pressure cooker lawsuits across the county, and you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries.
We offer a free case evaluation. Please contact us using the form below or by calling us at (800) 279-6386. We would be honored to speak with you and respond promptly to every inquiry we receive
Free Case Evaluation
To contact us for a free review of your potential case, please fill out the form below or call us toll free 24 hrs/day by dialing: (800) 279-6386.