Who doesn’t enjoy the occasional smoothie? They’re simple enough to make with a handful of fruit and a blender, but did you know a certain type of blender is gearing up to be the center of a class action lawsuit? As it turns out, the maker of the “NutriBullet high-speed blender is facing a class action accusing it of failing to warn consumers about the potential for the gadget to explode without warning, causing injuries to consumers, including burns.”
Who doesn’t enjoy the occasional smoothie? They’re simple enough to make with a handful of fruit and a blender, but did you know a certain type of blender is gearing up to be the center of a class action lawsuit? As it turns out, the maker of the NutriBullet “high-speed blender is facing a class action accusing it of failing to warn consumers about the potential for the gadget to explode without warning, causing injuries to consumers, including burns.”
According to the 64-page consumer complaint filed earlier this week on June 2, Capital Brands is accused of “violating federal and state consumer protection laws along with warranty laws.” The plaintiff who filed the complaint, Deveta White of Goose Creek, South Carolina, is seeking damages and “an order preventing Capital Brands from continuing to sell the defective products.” Additionally, according to the complaint, she “wants the company to warn existing owners about NutriBullet’s potential dangers.”
This isn’t the first time NutriBullet blenders have come under fire. Late last year another case filed by North Carolina native Johanna Suarez filed a similar case. Additionally, last year Danny Abir, a California-based attorney said he “brought nearly two dozen cases alleging harm from NutriBullets.” On top of that, consumers in the past have filed complaints about the blender explosions with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and with the company itself.
Despite the numerous complaints against the company, White’s is the only case seeking “class-action status and is the only one of its type currently pending against the company.” But what are NutriBullet blenders allegedly so dangerous? Well, according to White’s lawsuit, “the blender’s canister can pressurize to the point where it separates from the other parts, spewing out its contents onto everything and everyone in range.” The suit alleges that the “explosions can happen without warning even when a consumer is making a cold smoothie because heat from the blender’s fast-moving blades can make the ingredients scalding hot.”
According to the suit, even if the blender doesn’t explode, it’s still dangerous because the “buildup of pressure can send the blade assembly flying after the blender’s lid is removed following normal use.” The suit states:
“The blenders pose a safety risk to users as well as other people — including children — who may be in close proximity to the blender when it explodes. Despite its knowledge, NutriBullet fails to warn its consumers that the product may explode posing a serious safety risk to users and any living thing in the proximity of the explosion.”
White’s decision to file her lawsuit came after her own NutriBullet blender exploded. As a result, she ended up suffering “second-degree burns on her chest and first degree burns on her arms, forcing her to miss work and incur nearly $6,000 in medical expenses to date.”
The company has so far pushed back against the consumer complaints, including White’s. According to the company, the “blender can be safely operated for up to 60 seconds, sufficient time to make a smoothie, before a safety feature will cut off power to the gadget.” Capital Brands also issued the following statement:
“NutriBullet is dedicated to the safety and satisfaction of its customers. Every day, millions of customers safely use the Nutribullet to blend nutritious smoothies from fruits, vegetables, and nuts. NutriBullets are safe and present no issue if used as directed, such as not blending heated foods, or using the blender for longer than necessary to make a smoothie, which is generally less than one minute.”
Sources:
NutriBullet blenders can explode, new lawsuit claims
Lawsuit Claims NutriBullet Blenders Can Explode
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