For years the NutriBullet blender has been marketed as a small, convenient blender people can use to make single-serving smoothies and other cold drinks, then pop off the cannister and drink. The blender has been marketed as a “nutrition extractor,” implying people can get more nutrition in their diets by drinking their fruits and vegetables with the help of the blender. What the blender’s marketing fails to mention is the allegation that it tends to build up the pressure and explode.
Capital Brands, the company that makes the NutriBullet blenders, advises users of the product to only make cold drinks in the blenders and avoid putting anything hot in it to avoid overheating. They also recommend using it for no more than 60 seconds, at which point a safety mechanism will turn the NutriBullet off in order to avoid any accidents as a result of overheating.
But consumer lawsuits claim the blender has been known to overheat and even explode, even when consumers follow the directions and use it with cold foods for less than 60 seconds. One such lawsuit was brought against the company in North Carolina and is currently pending in court. In California, one consumer rights attorney says he has brought almost two dozen lawsuits against Capital Brands over the alleged defect in their NutriBullet blenders.
Now Deveta White has joined the list of consumers to sue Capital Brands over their allegedly dangerous NutriBullet blenders. The only difference is that White’s consumer lawsuit is the first to seek to represent a class of similarly situated plaintiffs against Capital Brands.
White alleges she was using her NutriBullet blender for less than 60 seconds to make a cold smoothie when it exploded, spraying the contents on her chest and arms, where she allegedly suffered first- and second-degree burns. She was allegedly forced to miss work and has incurred almost $6,000 in medical costs so far as a result of her accident with the blender.
The lawsuit claims White is far from the only person to suffer injuries caused by a NutriBullet blender, even when used normally. The lawsuit alleges the blenders have a tendency to build up the pressure in the canister, causing it to separate from the other components of the blender and spray its contents onto everything and everyone who happens to be nearby. The lawsuit alleges this can happen without warning, even when consumers are following the instructions. They also allege burns can happen even when consumers are using the blender to make cold drinks because the blender’s blades allegedly move so fast that they heat up the ingredients inside until they become scalding hot – as allegedly happened to White.
Even if the blender doesn’t explode while in use, the lawsuit alleges that normal use of the NutriBullet blender can pose a risk to users and anyone standing nearby (including children) because the built-up pressure can send the blade assembly flying when that pressure is released by removing the lid.
White’s lawsuit is seeking damages for her injuries and lost wages, but she also said she wants to warn other users about the potentially dangerous nature of the popular blender.
Capital Brands denies all the allegations of the consumer class action lawsuit. It maintains that the blender is perfectly safe when used as directed.
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