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Pressure cooker defects caused food explosion, scalding Nebraska woman, lawsuit says

A woman cooking with her pressure cooker inside her Nebraska home said she was seriously burned by its contents as she opened the lid.

Now she’s suing SharkNinja, the maker of her Ninja electric pressure cooker, in federal court.

In the lawsuit filed Nov. 18, the attorney representing Michelle Lieb said defects in the cooking appliance allowed her to “easily” open the lid while “the Ninja Cooker still retained a dangerous amount of pressure inside.”

“When she did so, the Ninja Cooker’s hot contents exploded out of the pot, scalding and scarring her abdomen, arm, and wrist” on Aug. 15, attorney Adam Milasincic said in the complaint.

Lieb, of Gibbon, should not have been able to open the lid if there was still that much pressure inside, according to the lawsuit. Typically, a safety mechanism prevents the lid from opening while there is too much pressure in the cooker.

SharkNinja did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News on Nov. 30.

“In YouTube videos published by SharkNinja, SharkNinja claims that ‘once your unit has reached a high enough level of pressure, the lid will lock for your safety, and you will not be able to unlock it until the pressure has been released,’” according to the lawsuit.

The owner’s manual also emphasizes the safety feature, her attorney said, and Lieb used her pressure cooker in a way that should have been expected by the company.

“However, the Ninja Cooker was defectively and negligently designed and manufactured by SharkNinja in that it failed to properly function as to prevent the lid from being removed with normal force while the unit remained pressurized,” the lawsuit said, “despite the appearance that all the pressure had been released, during the ordinary, foreseeable and proper use of cooking food with the product.”

Milasincic argues defects in Lieb’s pressure cooker include a “faulty release valve” that incorrectly indicated built-up pressure had escaped and a faulty gasket that allowed the lid to open.

“SharkNinja knew or should have known that its pressure cookers possessed defects that pose a serious safety risk to Ms. Lieb and the public,” he said.

Her pressure cooker was bought new at Walmart, according to the lawsuit.

Lieb is seeking a jury trial and damages over $75,000 to help with medical expenses, pain and suffering, permanent impairment, disfigurement and more.

“As a direct and proximate result of ShankNinja’s conduct, Ms. Lieb incurred significant and painful bodily injuries, medical expenses, physical pain, mental anguish, and diminished enjoyment of life,” Milasincic wrote.

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